Peasley was on the prowl again that night. Riding upon his bean-shaped, white-winged platform, he sailed across the verdant landscape of the largely sleeping Poshley Heights as he continued to scour the area for clues. Even though most of the residents had already turned in for the night, their windows having gone dark long ago, the Beanish prince still moved forward with a tireless energy.

He'd gotten a message earlier from that strange, shadowy girl – from Vivian. Why in the world had she requested to meet before the Poshley Sanctum tomorrow morning…? His mind raced as he considered what she might possibly have to say. Knowing that there could be a vital hint nearby, nay, possibly right in front of him…

There's no way he could merely go to sleep! Not right then, no, of course he couldn't! If he saw her early, he'd have to stop her and question her right away. …But, they hadn't crossed paths yet. So, instead, he continued his patrol, asking whomever he could for information as he made his way across the breadth of the town. Even though it was late, and stars were already shining in the blackened sky, he just couldn't sit still.

And so, approaching the sanctum while riding upon his flying bean, he scanned the area with a watchful eye. The shadow did simply come by there sometimes – he half-hoped he'd catch sight of her sitting upon the marble stairs. But, rather than her, he saw something else hunched behind one of the tall pillars…

The lifeless body of a Bumpty.

Peasley let out a loud gasp as he quickly rushed to the victim's side and pressed a finger against the poor, unfortunate creature's neck. …Thankfully, it was still warm, and a heartbeat signaled that its blood still flowed. However, he could see a fresh injury stretching across its stomach…

Dreadful. Really, truly dreadful. …Though, upon closer inspection, he could've sworn he recognized this Bumpty. That brown deerstalker hat and that little red bowtie… This was the proprietor of the very property he stood upon, if he recalled. What in the world had happened…?

"Ghhhhh… hhhhhhhh…" The Bumpty groaned from beneath the Beanish prince's grasp. Peasley gently slid an arm beneath the pitiful penguin-like creature's soft back, then pulled it into a sitting position as he began to speak to it…

"My gracious, are you quite all right!? Do you need me to fetch a doctor, or do you have some bandages inside, perhaps…?"

"Take me into my home… please… I just need to rest." The Bumpty coughed as it cracked open an eye. "There's a first-aid kit… in there… that we can use. Ugh… Lend me your shoulder, I beg of you…"

The avian being weakly pointed a flipper towards the entrance. Nodding, Peasley lifted the unfortunate man to his feet and began to guide him inside, taking it nice and slow as the bird struggled to plod forth…

After setting the victim down against a wall within the vast, cavernous sanctum, Peasley quickly located the aforementioned first-aid kit and applied some disinfectant, then dressed the patient's wounds with some basic bandages. Having taken care of the immediate danger, he then grabbed a glass of fresh water and watched as the poor creature gulped it down and, slowly but surely, began to recompose himself…

"…My apologies that you had to see such a sorry sight, my dear man. Ugh… hrrgh! I…" The Bumpty coughed and held his stomach in pain. "...I'll be all right here in just a bit, I assure you. But… oh, this really is quite the disaster. …I… am afraid that I have located our missing persons. I'm fully aware of where they're being held, and yet…"

"Missing persons, you say?" Peasley paused for a moment he attempted to recall. "…Ah! The sheet-covered creature and the slug girl, correct? Are those the ones you speak of? Do tell, I am very much interested in hearing more!"

While they weren't directly related to Peasley's goal, that pair's disappearance had caused quite the ruckus about town. If Peasley could solve that case, then maybe, just maybe, he'd be able to convince the citizens to fully assist him with his own mission…

"Yes… yes, that's right." Finally regaining his strength, the Bumpty started to explain. "My name is Pennington, and I am a detective. I've… as a master of sleuthing, I've had a particular suspicion for a while now. Though the conclusion I've reached is rather troublesome, I was just now able to confirm that my hunch was correct… You were seeking a certain man as well, right? A yellow-eyed bean fellow, was it?"

Peasley's eyes lit up at the mention. Popple! "Ah, yes, that's right! That wretched criminal is the entire reason I'm here right now! But… why do you ask? Do you know something of his whereabouts!?"

If so, Peasley had to act immediately.

"He's there, with them. …With those dastardly X-Nauts," Pennington coughed yet again as he forced the words out, his expression deeply troubled. "I heard everything while I was investigating… That slippery burglar was hiding amongst the abandoned buildings in Riverside Valley. …But then the X-Nauts happened upon him as he was attempting to pilfer their foodstuffs. He possessed a strange, mystical item that their leader very much desired, from what I have learned… and so, they've captured the crook and stored him somewhere deep within their residence."

The X-Nauts? Was he referring to those ridiculously dressed, smelly little men that Peasley had so often seen running around town? The pieces began to fit together within his head. He had thought they looked rather suspicious…

The Bumpty detective's face reflected a deep dread as he continued to speak. "From what I've been able to determine, it seems that Doopliss and Petuni witnessed the burglar's treasure during one of their visits. The X-Nauts didn't want word to escape, so the pair of them have been imprisoned as well, in a place far away from the eyes and ears of the public. …It's simply horrid. What precisely is one lone detective expected to do in the face of such an overwhelmingly vast force? I was sneaking throughout their base, gathering all the evidence I possibly could… when they found me and did this. Truly, it's pure luck that I was able to escape at all." The Bumpty motioned to his bandaged belly.

Peasley furrowed his brow in thought. This… really was a major issue. From what he'd seen, the X-Nauts had quite the numbers behind them. Though his first instinct was to immediately break into their base and demand the prompt return of the Beanstar, something told him that wouldn't be the brightest idea. If he did, would he be forced to fight his way through their entire army? Peasley didn't doubt his own abilities, not at all, but it still seemed a rather risky move. …He'd have to think carefully before charging in. If only there were some way that he could learn of the captives' exact location without having to engage in combat…

But… there was one other thing on his mind: that Vivian girl. She'd been remarkably kind to Peasley; yet, she was affiliated with them, was she not? He'd heard that she lived upon their property. Though her looks were a bit odd, he'd been struck by how earnest she'd seemed when she'd asked him about her missing friends. Was it all an act, meant to throw Peasley off their trail? How incredibly insidious, if so…

He certainly hadn't expected this turn of events.

"Our time is short; those fiends will certainly come for me someday soon. Urgh… if only they hadn't noticed me during my investigations…!" Pennington woozily rose to his feet, then began to make his way towards the entrance. "But, let us stay strong, even in the face of such overwhelming adversity! I will be certain to lock this place up and isolate myself within its walls. Tell nobody of this – this establishment's Boo residents are out right now, but they'll surely return once the night's search is over. Even they have close ties to those X-Brutes and cannot be trusted – if word gets out that I have opened my bill, it shall only incense them further!"

"Oh, you needn't worry about that! Not a soul shall hear of this conversation," Peasley bobbed his head with fervor.

The odds were objectively stacked against them. …But, Peasley wasn't one to give up. Even if he had to do it alone, he'd find the captives, free them, capture Popple, and protect Pennington, all in one fell swoop. Saving the day was his duty as a prince!

"Really, I simply cannot believe that it got to this point. This entire search has been little more than a wild goose chase, I'm afraid…" Pennington sighed. "But, please, you must stop the X-Nauts from using that wretched artifact! I'm certain that those villains are planning something appalling yet again. If you do nothing, the entire world may fall within their grasp!"

The entire world... Those words troubled Peasley.

"I will. I absolutely will!" The prince confirmed. "Do you have any idea of the captives' specific whereabouts within their residence? I intend to head there posthaste!"

"All I know is that they're holding them somewhere in the underground, where few are allowed to venture. It's extremely dangerous, so do be careful!"

Resolutely, Peasley nodded.

"I understand! I must come up with a plan… but, I promise you! I won't let them get away with this!

Though the cancellation of her trip to the Mushroom Kingdom mainland's cultural festival still weighed heavily upon her mind, Vivian had a mission that morning. She awoke with a burst of energy, immediately rising from the comforts of her cushiony bed and busying herself with getting ready for the day's main task.

In just a few hours, she was due to meet Peasley directly outside the entrance of the Poshley Sanctum. …She truly hoped that he'd have some answers for her. Really, after all of the disappointments she'd faced of late, that thought was one of the only things left to drive her forward… Besides, it remained true that finding her missing friends was more important than some silly festival. It wasn't as if this would be their last chance to attend! With luck, whenever the next one came around, they'd all be safe, happy, healthy, and would be able to properly enjoy it together.

At least, that's what she kept telling herself.

After prepping a light breakfast of eggs and toast and taking a small break to flip through some fashion magazines, Vivian braced herself for their upcoming conversation. …Hopefully, Peasley would be fully willing to work with her. The shadow gave the parrot a quick wave as she headed out the door and made her way along the green, grass-scented path towards the Poshley Sanctum, traversing the pipes and following along the stone streets…

As she approached, she saw the Beanish man already standing tall before the sanctum, his blond hair shining bright beneath the early morning sun. However, when she called out to greet him, he didn't smile or wave back.

Rather, as he turned to face her, his expression was icy cold.

"Ah, it's you. …I see. So, you've arrived…"

He gave her a grave look, his stern eyes piercing her as he examined her body from head to tail. It was a stark difference from his upbeat mood the day before. …Had she said something wrong? He'd told her it was all right to leave a message at the hotel, hadn't he? Was… was he perhaps upset that she'd disturbed him?

Vivian gulped.

"O-oh… I'm sorry for having called you out here so early in the day, but there was something that I really wanted to discuss..." She barely forced the words out. This wasn't how she'd expected their conversation to start at all. "Um… It's really very important to me and my friends. Is it okay to meet? Are you busy?"

"Yes, a discussion would be good. In fact, I have a question to ask of you, too."

Though something about his demeanor still felt off, the bean man finally flashed her a bright smile. Then, his scarlet cape swaying gently in the wind, he took a seat upon the marble stairs and tenderly patted a spot next to him. "Why not relax for a moment? Don't force yourself to remain standing - I get the impression this may take a while!"

"Ah, yes! That sounds like a good idea."

Accepting the invitation, Vivian settled down next to him.

"Well, then…" She started to speak as she folded her hands in her lap. "My friend that I talked about before, the one that was concerned about Popple when he showed up at our big celebration? I went to ask her if she'd heard anything about Doopliss or Petuni, and she mentioned that the time period between Popple showing up here and them going missing is really suspicious. I mean, you've probably thought of that already, but… Doopliss is really, really good at transforming. Do you think maybe Popple would've taken him away for something? I… don't know why he would've taken Petuni too, it's possible she was with him at the time, but… ah?"

A fiery hint of aggression shone in Peasley's eyes at the mention of Doopliss and Petuni's names. Yet, it quickly vanished, making Vivian question if she'd actually imagined it.

"I see, I see. …Well, that really is quite the interesting observation, isn't it? That the two events might possibly be related…" The Beanish man's voice remained completely steady, not reflecting even a single touch of surprise.

Had he already suspected as much?

"Yes! It really does feel like too much of a coincidence, doesn't it?" Vivian continued, "I honestly could see it being because of Doopliss's powers! Do you think maybe Popple needed him to sneak into-"

"Hold on! First, fair Vivian, I have something critical to ask."

Peasley stood and began to speak as he stared down at her from above. His figure was imposing, almost kingly, and his eyes reflected a righteous indignation. In a forceful and unyielding voice, he questioned her:

"What, exactly, is your relation to the X-Nauts?"

"My relation to… huh?"

Vivian tilted her head at the sudden inquiry. …To the X-Nauts? Why was he asking about them…? Not that she minded answering, but it felt like a strange choice of topics.

"Me and the X-Nauts, huh… It's kind of complicated. They started out as allies of my older sister, but then I left her due to… um, reasons. After that, I spent a long time fighting against them. Things are really different these days, though - I get along with them pretty well now! We're coworkers… or more like neighbors, I guess? Something like that!" She tried to summarize it the best she could.

"Is that so…?"

Though Peasley was clearly listening, she couldn't quite make out his expression. He didn't seem displeased or anything, but…

"They own the building close to where I live, so I go over and cook food for them sometimes. They used to do a lot of really bad things, but they've changed for the better! Now, they mostly work on manufacturing goods and TV shows. …Is… that what you wanted to know?" She paused. "I kind of feel like I'm rambling. Is there anything specific that you wanted to hear about?"

"Well, all of that is very interesting, but I was mostly curious about the kinds of tasks you help them with. …Or, rather, if they have any particularly large projects going on. I suppose if all you do is cook, that may be outside your purview, but…"

Large projects? Vivian combed her mind. "Mmmm… There are a few, but I'm not really sure how much I should talk about them. They're working on building more usable areas for themselves, and there's a sci-fi show they have planned, and… oh! They've also been working on a big present for their boss, hmm hmm hmm!"

"A present, is it? What kind of present?" Peasley's eyes narrowed at her words.

Vivian fidgeted. "Oh. You… want to know more about that? Um…"

A vivid memory of Crump going "Shhhhhh! The deets are a secret, buh huh huh!" and pressing his finger up against his collar drifted through her mind. Though it was likely that he just didn't want to spoil the surprise for Grodus, she still wasn't about to go spreading rumors around town. He'd told her about Grodus's new body in confidence, after all.

"Sorry, but I don't think I can really talk about it. It's nothing bad though, I promise!"

"Hmmmm? Nothing bad, you say? …What if I don't believe you?"

Peasley's tone suddenly turned harsh as he leaned in, hovering just inches before her. Though he was still smiling, he reached over towards his still-sheathed rapier and threateningly pressed a hand against the hilt…

"I do suggest you tell me what you know. …The fate of the land may hang in the balance over this. It's no time to hold onto secrets. Especially not for the sake of protecting villains…"

…What? Vivian shriveled at the sudden pressure bearing down from above her. What in the world…?

Peasley continued to speak, his gaze growing ever sharper. "Now, let me be more specific. Are you entirely certain that you haven't seen anything strange about their halls, young lady? Perhaps… something green, sleeping, and shaped like a star?"

Green, sleeping, and… what? She had absolutely no idea what this man was talking about. Was "sleeping" a figure of speech? In a way, it could've been said that the Emerald Star had once been sleeping at the bottom of the Great Tree, out in Boggly Woods… Was that what he was asking about? If so, she didn't really have anything to offer him – the Crystal Stars had disappeared sometime after they'd defeated the Shadow Queen, so she couldn't point him in their direction even if she wanted to. The X-Nauts most certainly didn't have them.

"No. No, it's nothing like that." After thinking for a bit, she shook her head. "Really, it's something that only the leader of the X-Nauts would be interested in. It's an incredibly personal gift, so I just can't say. I'm sorry!"

She hated disappointing Peasley like this, but she couldn't betray Crump's trust, either.

"…Hmmph! Well, fine then. So be it," Peasley drew back and removed his hand from his blade. Yet, the light in his eyes did not soften. "If you change your mind and decide that you wish to properly exchange information, fully and without hiding any of the details, then do let me know. In the meantime, I shall withhold what I know as well. …A good day to you, fair Vivian."

With a flourish of his cape, the man climbed aboard his waiting bean platform and sailed off into the depths of the azure sky, all without giving Vivian another glance. The shadow watched on in silence as one of her final sources of hope vanished amongst the clouds.

…Why? Why had he been so harsh? Vivian hadn't meant anything bad by hiding Grodus's new body from him. Was it really that awful to keep a few secrets, knowing that it almost certainly wasn't related…?

Pain gripped at her core as she replayed the encounter in her head again and again. She'd really been hoping this would be the breakthrough to finding her friends, but… What had she done to make Peasley dislike her so openly? He hadn't been like that before, had he? He'd seemed so nice when he'd talked to her yesterday… Just what had happened?

Feeling more than a little defeated, Vivian rose from her spot and looked back at the sanctum entrance. …Only to be greeted by yet another odd sight.

It was… locked…?

She floated closer towards the door – a giant, ominous padlock covered the front, sending a clear signal that all were barred from entry. Beneath it, there was a hastily written note…

"Taking an extended mental health break. No visitors!"

An extended… what? Vivian frowned. Oh, no… She'd been aware that Pennington had been troubled recently, but she had no idea it was that bad. …She really hoped he was okay.

The idea of using her power to pass beneath the doorway occurred to her, but, for the moment, she decided to instead respect his privacy and move on along. If he was still on break after a few days, she'd definitely consider checking in on him. …But, as it stood, she already had plenty else to worry about.

Choosing to focus on her own problems instead, she drifted along the familiar Poshley Heights streets until she arrived at the Fantaboolous Studios office building. Even though her idea to meet with Peasley had failed, perhaps Bow had something else for her to do?

However, as she entered and made her way towards Lady Bow's office, she was greeted with a rather sorry sight.

The mint-green Boo sat hunched over in her chair and was hammering away at her communicator as she typed out an undoubtedly urgent message to one of their allies. Yet, the lady wore a truly awful, scrunched-up expression upon her face, grumbling and gritting her teeth with rage even as Vivian entered the room.

Sensing the shadow's approach, Bow glanced up and let out a low growl. "Vivian!? What, what is it!? Hurry now, quickly, speak up!

Vivian almost immediately said never mind and left the room. Yet, against her better judgment, she forced her question out anyways: "U-um… Hello! I'm running really low on ideas for where to search in Rogueport. Is there anywhere else that you'd rather me look right now? I know you said to keep going, but I wanted to see how I could help best."

"Is that all you want!? Just… anywhere is fine, somewhere, wherever! I don't even know anymore!" Bow let out a frustrated cry, then buried her face in her arms.

"L-Lady Bow? Are you okay…?" Vivian carefully scooted around the desk and placed a gentle hand upon the Boo lady's back. Normally, she knew Bow wouldn't let anybody comfort her like this, but…

She really looked like she needed it right then.

"…This isn't fun. This isn't how this was supposed to go at all… I wanted to form a permanent partnership with Flurrie! Doopliss was to be one of our greatest assets! Why, why, why do things keep getting in my way!?" Bow yelled as she deflated further. "And now I have to send out an official cancellation notice to the festival committee, there's no way we're making it out there like this! I wanted to hold onto hope that we could maybe just arrive a little late, but… Nope, no leads at all still! Great! Everything is just great – give me a break!" The Boo groaned as she practically sank down into her chair.

Vivian frowned as she spoke. "What about Bootler? Where is he – couldn't he help you with some of this…? Do you want me to go find him?"

Bootler knew how to run things, didn't he? Though he was often busy out at the Glitz Pit and other locations, surely he'd be willing to return to the office at a time like this?

But, the ghost merely shook her head. "Bootler is already overseas – he's busy trying to manage everything over there! Which, thank goodness for that, but…"

Finally looking up at Vivian, Bow seemed to suddenly snap back to her senses. With a loud, irritated grumble, she shoved Vivian's hand away.

"A-Anyways! I don't need your pity – keep your hands off me! I can handle this myself, with or without Bootler or Flurrie or whoever else's help! I'm doing perfectly fine!"

"But…" Vivian started, only for Bow to shush her and then point directly towards the door.

"Just… go! Get out of here!" Bow spat, "Go do something, I don't care! And lock the front door on your way out – just message me if it's urgent! Tell the others to do the same, don't bother me!"

Though Bow's words stung to hear, Vivian obediently nodded and turned to leave. …If the stubborn specter insisted that Vivian's presence wasn't needed, then there'd almost certainly be no convincing her otherwise. Thus, despite her pain, the shadow quietly slunk out of the office.

And so, just like that, she left the Boo lady to stew in her anger. …Alone.

In the end, Vivian still hadn't been able to do a thing to help.

The shadow returned to her room with a sense of crushing defeat. After trekking back to the compound, she'd sat down for a while in the grass just outside her front door and tried to figure out the workings of her communicator… In the end, she had, but it hadn't been without a bloody battle. The shadow had come close to tears several times as the device had angrily beeped beneath her fingers, its screen frozen as she clicked helplessly upon the numerous menu items…

Finally, after eventually getting it working, she'd messaged both Flurrie and Crump to check on them and see if anyone needed any help. Flurrie hadn't responded at all – she must've been busy with something. …Meanwhile, Crump had replied, but it'd been with a suggestion to go help out with construction. She'd declined that one, at least for the moment.

And so, having no immediately pressing tasks, Vivian had instead decided to finally take a moment for herself. …Even if it made her feel guilty, she really needed the rest. She could feel a persistent, anxious tightness in her chest, like the muscles themselves were squeezing at her ribcage.

Yet, just as she settled down into her bed with the intent of taking a short nap, a loud rapping sounded from the front door.

"Mail? …Mail! It's mail, skrawk!" The parrot called out – she could hear him hop down from his perch in the next room over and slide out through the doggy door. Then, mere moments later, he slipped back in through the flap and waddled into her room with a bright white envelope clutched beneath his wing. "Here you go, here you go, skwraaak!"

After plopping it into her hands, he gave a happy nod and then hopped back over towards his perch. …Mail, hmm? From Goombella, maybe? Vivian sure hoped so – she could really use a pick-me-up. Yet, as her eyes met the name written on the envelope, her heart nearly stopped in her chest.

From… Beldam?

It was. Beldam's name was right there, in front of her. Finally, after all this time… Vivian had been waiting for this letter. And yet, now that it was within her hands…

She felt sick.

The shadow started to quiver slightly, the sweat upon her palms burning against her skin like ice. A nauseating, viscous slop began to stir in the depths of her stomach... She hadn't been prepared to read that name. Not right then, at least. What could her elder sister possibly have to say? …Did she dare to hope for something good?

With how her luck had been lately… no. No, she knew better than to expect that.

And so, she steeled her heart as she tore open the lip of the envelope, pulled the paper out, and began to read.

"Vivian,

This may not arrive before you leave, but your sister and I saw your movie. It was mildly entertaining. Word also reached us about your upcoming appearance in Toad Town. Marilyn and I have been needing a vacation, so we plan to board a boat and get settled into our hotel the day before the festivities start. We'll be there to watch.

Keep going.

-Beldam"

Vivian couldn't believe it.

Though her sister's written words were short and blunt, and though her use of the word "mildly" was still a bit rude, the letter completely lacked any outright jabs at Vivian's character. There were no insults, no half-disguised barbs such as "decent, for you" or "I'm surprised they kept you around"… There was nothing written in this letter with the intent to cause Vivian pain.

Vivian was in awe. Was… was Beldam truly taking an active interest in something she was doing? Her elder sister was willing to travel? Just to see her?

…But…

"W-Why…?" Vivian choked out the question as her heart finally cracked beneath the pressure. Hot, wet droplets began to force themselves out from the corners of her eyes, dripping down her cheeks and down onto her pillow…

Finally, Vivian had done something that Beldam had approved of. Finally, after all this time, after so many, many long years of abuse and pure, unadulterated vitriol, her sister had finally given her a single scrap of genuine praise. And yet, Vivian was already destined to disappoint her once again.

She wasn't allowed to do anything right.

"Ghh… ghhhh…! Gaaaah… aaaaaaahhhhhh!"

Losing her very last ounce of patience with the world, Vivian clutched at her pillow as she let out a frustrated cry. The room blurred around her, her head spun… Every inch of her flesh burned as her stress finally bubbled over.

"S-skrawk!? Vivian!? Vivian, are you okay!?"

Though the bird rushed in from the other room and began to question her, she couldn't even begin to formulate a proper response… All that came out were gasps and groans, no matter how hard she tried to speak. Even though she met his eyes, she could scarcely see him from beyond her tears.

Why did this have to happen now!?

How would Beldam react when she arrived at the festival, after leaving her homeland for the very first time and traveling all the way across the ocean… only to find out that Vivian's appearance had been completely canceled!? The festival started tomorrow – based on the contents of Beldam's letter, Vivian's sisters likely would have already left. Even if Vivian immediately leapt out of bed and rushed over to Twilight Town, it'd almost certainly be too late to stop them…

After this failure, would her sisters ever even try to reach out again?

Vivian should've been there to greet them. It's all she'd wanted, all this time - to see her sisters be genuinely proud of her. She wanted to spend the celebrations with them, to shine upon the stage, to express to them how far she'd come…

And yet, despite all her efforts… Vivian wasn't going to be there. Even beyond that, she hadn't properly worked in weeks. She hadn't been able to film even one single commercial. On top of which, her friends had gone missing without a trace, and everyone around her was either fraying at the seams or moving on without her…

…Keep going, Beldam said. Keep going…

Just how was she supposed to do that!?

Giving up on even speaking to the parrot, Vivian shoved her head deep into her pillow and curled up into a ball, each harsh, heavy sob wracking her body. Her eyes were on fire, her skin burned with pins and needles, hot bile attempted to claw its way out through the walls of her belly… It hurt. It hurt, it hurt, everything hurt…!

"Mario… Mario… Please, MARIO…!" The shadow began to cry out his name. Finally, her misery proved too much for her body to hold – she rushed over to the sink and released the contents of her stomach, still sobbing profusely as she completely lost her grip.

Mario… If only Mario were there. If only he'd loved her as much as she'd loved him, back then…

He could've helped her.

Chapter image: www tumblr com/thegroduschronicles/772244952978800640