Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Black Space

STRANGER was sitting, alone.

As usual.

He didn't know why he was here still. SUNNY had already accepted the truth a while ago.

The Dreamer no longer needs Headspace, so it eroded into fragments and dissolved into the chaos.

Stepping into a ruined library, there was a glowing book which caught his eye.

It was not a memory, but a story, one meant for children, but he pulled the book up anyways.

"The L egend of the Thousand Year Door"

Stranger reminisced.

Perhaps the vessels desire another play?

OMORI was Angry.

SUNNY ditched him, discarded him and the whole world they created.

Now, he was nothing, or should be nothing.

So why didn't SUNNY erase him for good?

The fool.

Wait, was he touching solid ground?

He was in the bunk of a boat, a sizeable one too.

???: "Hey! You are awake!"

KEL was jumping right next to him, looking no different from the ones he massed produced.

HERO: "KEL, it isn't nice to wake up someone who is sleeping."

AUBREY: "Yeah, tell him HERO!"

BASIL: "Please calm down, all this arguing is making me seasick."

MARI walked into the room he was in, getting his attention.

MARI: "Hey little brother, you awake?"

OMORI got up and looked out onto the endless sea.

What even was this place?

KEL: "Do you remember, we are going on an adventure for treasure!"

KEL was flailing about an old map.

HERO: "Please stop shaking it, it might break."

HERO: "We all found this map, and we are tracking it back to where it came from."

BASIL: "Look, the town is right there!"

Everyone ran up to watch, he personally needed a couple more minutes, but he still walked there anyways.

He saw what looked like an old town of bricks, the sun illuminating it overhead.

"So, this was the town you mentioned right?"

The Sailor was talking to HERO.

HERO: "Yes, this is the one."

"I did tell you those sordid tales about the town, right?"

HERO: "If we stick together, I doubt anything bad would happen."

"Regardless, it is time to depart."

Everyone steps off onto the harbor as the ship turns around and leaves.

<>

Rogueport

OMORI could not recognize anyone familiar around here.

MARI immediately put one of her picnic baskets down, while KEL and AUBREY were bounding around and talking to strangers.

He personally was ready to move on-

???: "Eek! Get away!"

A strange girly mushroom with feet was being surrounded by some strangely clothed people.

???: "You were asking people about the crystal stars, now I do the asking!"

???: "I won't tell you creeps anything!"

???: "Buh Buh Buh! It wouldn't be right to take on a sassy little lass like you!"

???: "So, I will have them take you instead! Take this firebrand to our fortress!"

???: "As you command, Lord Crump!"

AUBREY: "We got to save her!"

BASIL: "We cannot get involved in every stranger we meet-"

AUBREY: "Stop right here you big crump!"

LORD CRUMP: "It always has to be something."

KEL: "Wait, where is OMORI?"

LORD CRUMP: "Well, you are about to taste the Ol' Crump-a-bomb-"

Stab.

LORD CRUMP: "You. You think you are a clever little fellow are you."

LORD CRUMP: "Well, my clothes are stab proof!"

LORD CRUMP: "Now, taste my fury as well-"

A bonk from a ball and a pan.

LORD CRUMP: "That is it! IT'S GO TIME!"

An army of hooded figures appeared and began to clobber everyone.

Except everyone managed to get out unscathed.

???: "Let's get out of here before these buffoons notice!"

OMORI nodded.

Everyone dashed out.

<>

???: "I cannot thank you enough!"

GOOMBELLA: "Sorry, where are my greetings? My name is GOOMBELLA, I am a student from the University of Goom!"

KEL: "University?"

GOOMBELLA: "O... okay. Regardless, what are your names?"

KEL: "I'm KEL!"

AUBREY: "AUBREY!"

HERO: "My name is HERO."

BASIL: "BASIL."

MARI: "I am MARI, and this is my younger brother OMORI."

GOOMBELLA: "I haven't seen many big groups come into town as of late."

GOOMBELLA: "And for good reason, I hate it here!"

OMORI could see people fighting in the distance.

GOOMBELLA: "I mean, it was called Rogueport, so I should have expected it, but jeez!"

GOOMBELLA: "I wouldn't have come here if there wasn't some legendary treasure."

AUBREY: "Legendary treasure? We have a map!"

GOOMBELLA: "Cool! Maybe we could show it to my professor, FRANKLY!"

MARI: "Do you know where he is?"

GOOMBELLA: "I think he is that way, follow me!"

<>

As they were walking, MARI piped in.

MARI: "I kind of want to explore this town, might I do it with BASIL?"

BASIL: "W-what?"

MARI: "I think the perfect way for you to get confidence is to go out and face your fears!"

MARI: "Plus OMORI, you already have done so well going out on your own, you can handle yourself, right?"

OMORI nodded.

MARI: "I will still be setting up picnics for you and cheering from afar!"

BASIL: "Same I guess?"

MARI: "See you soon!"

The two departed.

<>

The party walked inside a building, where an old looking mushroom with legs was pondering.

FRANKLY: "Ah yes, in a minute!"

FRANKLY: "Hold on, let me remember..."

FRANKLY pondered for a moment.

FRANKLY: "Ah yes! Its GOOMBELLA right?"

GOOMBELLA: "Yes, from the University of Goom! Go Goombas!"

I guess these mushrooms with legs are called Goombas?

Both engaged with conversation for a while, before approaching the four.

FRANKLY: "And who might you four be?"

Everyone said their names again.

FRANKLY: "So, why did you all come to a place like this?"

KEL and GOOMBELLA: "Treasure!"

FRANKLY: "Ah, the legendary treasure, you know that is little more than a myth, right?"

KEL: "Aww."

GOOMBELLA: "But I think it is real! Shouldn't we find the truth to myths?"

FRANKLY: "Correct, but without the Crystal Stars, finding the treasure will be impossible."

HERO: "Excuse me, can you tell us everything?"

FRANKLY: "Supposedly, deep underneath this town is the ancient, Thousand-Year Door."

FRANKLY: "The treasure is sealed behind, and the only way to open it is with the seven magical Crystal Stars."

FRANKLY: "There is supposedly a map which, when held aloft the door, will guide the way to the next star, but we don't have it."

AUBREY: "OMORI has it."

FRANKLY: "WHAT?!"

FRANKLY: "HUMINA HUBBITY HOOBLA HOOFALA we got to go right away!"

FRANKLY dashed out of the door.

GOOMBELLA: "Well, what do you know, adventure awaits right?"

KEL: "Yay!"

AUBREY: "Wahoo!"

HERO: "Alright!"

Wow... so amazing...

Chapter Text

Rogueport Sewers

FRANKLY: "I mean, are you really sure you don't want battle training?"

AUBREY: "We told you several times, we beat the prince of the universe, defeated two immortal bakers, and fell an infinite whale!"

"Ack, HELP!"

A trio of Goombas run past them.

GOOMBELLA: "Wow, something really scary has got them running away."

A Sprout Mole leaps up into view.

It is certainly lost. Uh oh.

FRANKLY: "Oh strange fellow! Thank you for scaring these hooligans away, how can we repay you?"

SPROUT MOLE: "EEEEEEEEE"

What will OMORI and friends do?

OMORI and all of his friends are back at level one, but against a single lone Sprout Mole?

SMACK

OMORI and friends are victorious!

GOOMBELLA: "Hold on, let me read about this... creature?"

...

GOOMBELLA: "Odd, this book does not list it at all!"

FRANKLY: "The fact I see multiple up ahead must mean that it is common, but these lands, I have never seen one in my life!"

KEL: "Why are you paying so much thought to ugly Sprout Moles?"

GOOMBELLA: "Sprout Moles? Hold on, you are familiar with them?"

OMORI and his friends nodded.

GOOMBELLA: "Do you have a book as well cataloguing things?"

HERO: "I have my Foe Facts journal."

Smack!

GOOMBELLA: "Ta-Dah! The ultimate journal!"

"Foe Facts has been updated to Super Foe Facts!"

GOOMBELLA: "I think this should be yours."

HERO: "Thank you."

AUBREY: "What are we waiting for? Let's make it to that door!"

<>

After fighting some Sprout Moles, Goombas, and these weird spinning creatures, the group arrive at a black box.

???: "Oh, you can all hear me? That means you must be the heroes of legend!"

FRANKLY: "We are two Goombas and four kids, we are not really heroes."

???: "Well, that spiel was wasted- I mean YOU ARE ALL HEROES!"

???: "A nasty spirit sealed me inside this box, and now the only way to free me is with a black key."

So that is what this key I found is for.

???: "Well then, insert it right away!"

???: "Thank.... NOT! You are all FOOLS!"

???: "Mweheheheh!"

The box opened enveloping him inside a purple void.

A scary face greeted him.

???: "You are an IDIOT, a BOZO, to have released ME!"

???: "Now, I shall take some of my pent-up rage from being here for so long and curse you!"

???: "Oogly Boogly Boo!"

Nothing happened.

???: "Wait a minute, that wasn't supposed to happen..."

???: "OOGLY BOOGLY BOO!"

Nothing once more happened.

???: "So, I cannot curse you? That is quite the predicament."

???: "Unless... of course..."

???: "Heh. You freeing me must be some sick joke." 

???: "Just go."

He was back with his friends.

GOOMBELLA: "Wow, what a jerk!"

FRANKLY: "So what will we even do? The way forward is up there."

AUBREY: "Leave it to me."

AUBREY steps up to a big yellow block and gives it the old whack.

It shatters, revealing a staircase.

AUBREY: "Leave the blocks to me."

<>

A huge room holding a giant door and pedestal awaited them.

FRANKLY: "To think it was under the town the whole time! Come on, bring forth the map!"

Before doing that, he decided to investigate the door.

Seven stars on it, for seven Crystal Stars...

He could feel something behind the door, something faint, yet still growing.

Stepping up onto the pedestal, the map lifted out of his inventory without warning, spinning and glowing.

A part of the map fills with color, revealing some grasslands and a castle within, as well as a star.

FRANKLY: "We must analyze this!"

<>

KEL: "So, what did it reveal?"

FRANKLY: "I could fawn about its properties for ages, but to keep it short:"

FRANKLY: "The first crystal star is located in Petal Meadows, I heard about this place a lot, and there are suspicious rumors as well."

FRANKLY: "There should be a pipe down into the sewers that will take you straight there, no travel needed!"

HERO: "Thank you!"

GOOMBELLA: "Please come visit and share your findings with us!"

AUBREY: "Goodbye!"

MARI and BASIL were seeing something suspicious in an alleyway.

???: "So, did we find the map yet?"

???: "No, GRODUS is going to be so mad."

X-NAUT: "Well, we X-NAUTS have to stand up and serve him!"

X-NAUT: "Yeah."

A third X-NAUT sprinted towards the two.

X-NAUT: "What got you so out of breath?"

X-NAUT: "It's some anomaly I have never seen before! Creatures appearing out of thin air!"

X-NAUT: "Are you talking about them Puffs?"

X-NAUT: "No. Living bread! Weird ugly sprout mole things! Killer bunnies!"

X-NAUT: "Are you sure you are not insane?"

X-NAUT: "I am holding proof."

The X-NAUT pulls out a knocked-out Bunny and Sprout Mole.

X-NAUT: "We got to report immediately!"

As the trio sprinted off, two skulked behind.

BASIL: "Are we sure we have to do this?"

MARI: "Something about them does not seem right! Plus, how did they even get things from Headspace?"

BASIL: "I shudder to think how OMORI would react to this."

Sliding down into the sewers, the X-NAUTS enter a secret passage.

Both follow them into a technologically advanced room.

MARI: "Woah, a teleporter!"

BASIL: "Is this some X-NAUT outfits? Maybe we should put them on to be stealthier?"

MARI: "Good idea."

Both put on the outfits and warp through the teleporter.

Chapter Text

Petal Meadows

The party exit out into vast green fields.

Definitely nothing bad happened on the way there.

HERO: "OMORI, could you please stop ignoring your suction cup injury and just let me give you some food?"

FINE.

Now they can move forward.

AUBREY: "ACK! What is that in the sky?!"

The sky grew dark as a giant dragon flew overhead and into a distant castle.

KEL: "Woah? Is that a dragon? So cool!"

HERO: "Apparently the Crystal Star is in what is presumably the dragon's castle, maybe we can find someone that can get us there?"

AUBREY: "Look! Two stones with indents, maybe we got to find some items."

KEL: "Elementary my dear AUBREY, now let us find said items."

AUBREY looks flustered.

<>

Petalburg

After beating up some Goombas and more Sprout Moles, they approach a rowdy town.

That is a lot of bunnies and screaming.

KOOPA TROOPA: "HELP! These bunnies won't stop chewing on us!"

(5 Bunny fights later)

HERO: "Okay, I think that is the last of them."

KOOPA TROOPA: "Oh, thank you! We citizens of Petalburg are indebted to you!"

KOOPA TROOPA: "Please meet our mayor! He lives in the pink house!"

The turtle town has pretty much returned to normal, though everyone was still on edge.

Inside the pink house was a very old turtle person.

KROOP: "You damn varmints, don't attack me more!"

HERO: "We are not bunnies."

KROOP: "Oh, thank goodness!"

KROOP: "So, why did you gentlemen wish to see me?"

AUBREY: "We need someone to help us get to that big dragon!"

KROOP: "HOOKTAIL?! You four are kids!"

KROOP: "Though, you did handle those pests earlier..."

KROOP: "Alright, head your way to Shhwonk Fortress to the east, and collect the sun and moon stones."

HERO: "Those fit those indentations earlier, thanks!"

KROOP: "Good luck to your death- I mean adventure!"

KEL: "You know we could hear you stutter."

The old KOOPA became silent.

<>

As the party left town, they were approached by a young looking Koopa.

KOOPS: "Um, what is y-your name?"

Everyone introduced themselves again.

KOOPS: "Alright, well you s-see..."

KOOPS: "I heard you wanted to fight H-HOOKTAIL, and u-um..."

KOOPS: "..."

KOOPS: "Nevermind, it was nothing."

The Koopa left.

HERO: "You know that kid reminds me of BASIL."

AUBREY: "Maybe we should encourage him?"

KEL: "It wouldn't be right to drag him into a bad situation however!"

HERO: "KEL is correct, it is up to him if he wishes to join us or not."

OMORI nodded.

AUBREY: "Let us head to the fortress."

<>

Along the way, they were attacked by some new foes, and old ones too.

After entering a crumbling fort, a big stone statue sat in front of them.

KEL: "Is this statue in the way?"

AUBREY: "Let me WOAH!"

THWOMP: "Who DARES to enter this fortress?"

THWOMP: "Only by challenging me can you enter!"

HERO: "Everyone, get ready for a fight!"

THWOMP: "Heh, get ready for-"

Suddenly they were on a trivia-show set.

THWOMP: "For the 65th annual quiz-off!"

THWOMP: "I shall ask multiple-choice questions! Five correct and you can pass, but three wrong and a horrible punishment awaits!"

THWOMP: "Now, question one!"

THWOMP: "What's hidden in this place?"

A. Sun and Moon Stones

B. Crystal Star

C. Princess Peach

D. Pickle Stone

AUBREY: "Who is Princess Peach?"

HERO: "The answer is A."

THWOMP: "You are correct, DRATS! The next question will be much harder!"

THWOMP: "Number two: How much does one Mushroom and a Fire Flower cost at a store?"

HERO: "We never went to the shops before! What do we do?"

KEL: "When in doubt, press D!"

THWOMP: "Wrong! Only two away from a terrible fate!"

HERO: "I thought it was C?"

THWOMP: "Now what is the name of the mayor?"

Koopa Koot

Burtle

Moopa

Kroop

AUBREY: "Let me do this one!"

AUBREY: "All Koopas' names start with 'K', so it is KOOPA KOOT!"

THWOMP: "Wrong old Koopa! Now you are but one away!"

HERO: "Get everything together!"

THWOMP: "Where is the Crystal Star?"

HERO: "It's- OMORI pressed the button already."

THWOMP: "Correct! Now coming up:"

THWOMP: "What connects Petal Meadows and Rogueport?"

Pipe.

THWOMP: "Drats!"

THWOMP: "Which of these creatures have hands-"

Koopas.

THWOMP: "Drats again!"

THWOMP: "And now for the deciding question..."

THWOMP: "Which number question is this?"

KEL: "Seven! I can literally see the number up there!"

THWOMP: "..."

THWOMP: "Okay fine you win!"

The gameshow disappears, and the THWOMP moves out the way, revealing a passage.

<>

After some sewer trudging and fuzzy bonking, the group has made it out of the fortress with the stones in tow.

Let us get this journey over with now.

As they pass through and leave Petalburg, KOOPS approaches again.

KOOPS: "Wait!"

KOOPS: "You see... I want you to..."

KOOPS: "Please..."

KOOPS: "..."

KOOPS: "OH PLEASE TAKE ME TO HOOKTAIL PLEASE!"

AUBREY: "What is wrong?"

KOOPS: "About ten years ago, my dad KOOPLEY went to fight HOOKTAIL, and never returned."

KOOPS: "I... think I want revenge on that dragon!"

HERO: "Well, more help is always appreciated!"

KEL: "Lets kick dragon butt!"

???: "Wait!"

A girl Koopa walks up.

KOOPIE KOO: "KOOPS, you don't need to put yourself in danger!"

KOOPS: "But everyone calls me a crybaby, and I want to prove I am brave."

KOOPIE KOO: "But that isn't like you."

KOOPS: "I have made my choice."

KOOPIE KOO: "IGNORE ME THEN!"

KOOPIE KOO shells up and knocks everyone around before retreating.

KOOPS: "I expected as much, let us go on."

KEL: "N-now we can kick d-dragon butt."

AUBREY: "Y-you do not n-need to speak when y-you are d-dizzy."

The air certainly feels artificial.

X-NAUT: "Hey, you two! GRODUS wishes to see you!"

MARI: "Oh no! What is it?"

X-NAUT: "Why are you worried? It is a promotion! Come see him before he changes his mind!"

BASIL: "Let's move on."

<>

Both walk into a big room, with GRODUS sitting on a throne.

GRODUS: "You two have done excellently in fulfilling my plans."

BASIL: "W-what was it again?"

GRODUS: "What are your names?"

MARI: "Uh... M-MARIA!"

BASIL: "B-B-BASIN!"

GRODUS: "Now you two have served under me faithfully for many years, and now it is a perfect time for a change of duty."

GRODUS: "You, MARIA, shall take the elevator down to manage our cutting-edge technology."

GRODUS: "You, BASIN, find LORD CRUMP and take him here!"

MARI: "Yes sir!"

GRODUS seemed to squint behind his goggles.

MARI: "I got to do my job!"

Both rush out.

GRODUS: "Do not forget to use the equipment fabricator! Again!"

<>

MARI: "Okay, this is very freaky. I didn't know they were advanced and look ready to take over the world!"

BASIL: "G-G-GRODUS was scary..."

MARI: "Still, we are not done with investigating. These people are one hundred percent evil, but we must know how evil they are, and then inform OMORI!"

BASIL: "R-right! Meet back here soon."

MARI: "Right."

Chapter Text

Hooktail Castle

Everyone enters the castle.

The floor is littered with Koopa bones and skeletons.

KOOPS: "OH!"

KOOPS runs over to a collapsed skeleton with blue shoes.

KOOPS: "Dad..."

AUBREY walks on over and comforts KOOPS.

AUBREY: "Wait, is that a letter?"

"To whoever reads this, I found out about HOOKTAIL's weakness!"

"She apparently hates something that starts with a 'F' and ends with a 'rog'"

"I wasn't able to defeat her before using that weakness, but please."

"Please send my regards to my son, KOLORADO."

KOOPS: "Oh... That isn't my dad..."

AUBREY: "Still, maybe we should tell KOLORADO if we ever meet him?"

KOOPS: "Oh, okay!"

<>

After some bone bashing, the group continues to climb the castle, entering a small room with another chest.

???: "Please! Please get me the key, heroes!"

KEL: "OMORI keeping finding them."

???: "Thank you!"

???: "Sike! MWEHEHEHEHE!"

Once again, OMORI gets surrounded.

Same song and dance, I guess.

???: "Get cursed!"

Nothing once again happens.

???: "You vile rat! You are still alive!"

???: "Though you freed me, hmm..."

???: "..."

???: "ENJOY A MISERABLE... CURSELESS LIFE!"

He was once again with his friends.

KEL: "Hey, is that a weird badge inside?"

Croak

KEL: "It makes frog sounds!"

<>

Entering a yet another small room, there was already somebody inside!

???: "Ah. Treasure hunters?"

It was a little white mouse with a mask and a heart tail.

KEL: "Who are you?"

MS. MOWZ: "I am MS. MOWZ, the globe-trotting badge thief!"

AUBREY: "Sorry for bothering you, we were just looking for a Crystal Star here."

HERO: "Don't tell her! Oh..."

MS. MOWZ: "Crystal Star? While it does sound valuable, I collect badges, not gems."

MS. MOWZ: "I did find this key here that will help you up!"

MOWZ tossed a key to OMORI.

MS. MOWZ: "May we meet again~"

She leapt out the window.

HERO: "At least she didn't try seducing me."

KEL: "Yeah, that is a big problem."

KOOPS: "WHAT?!"

<>

Climbing up one final spire, the party enters through a big gate.

???: "Who dares challenge me?"

A giant dragon emerges from the shadows.

HOOKTAIL: "Hmm... you are all so tiny, maybe you would make a quick snack?"

HOOKTAIL: "Wait a minute... one of you looks familiar..."

HOOKTAIL: "Hmm..."

HOOKTAIL: "Nope, I will eat you down regardless!"

What will OMORI and friends do?

OMORI quickly looked at his and his friends' abilities.

OMORI:

Sad Poem

Stab

Bread Slice

Mock

AUBREY:

Pep Talk

Guard

Counter

KEL:

Annoy

Guard

Rebound

HERO:

Cook

Guard

Massage

Charm

KOOPS was also there. He couldn't control him, but he saw he had abilities of his own.

Shell Toss

Power Shell

Shell Shield

Time to fight.

KEL Annoys HOOKTAIL. HOOKTAIL is Angry!

OMORI Mocks HOOKTAIL. 76 damage! HOOKTAIL's Attack severely goes down!

AUBREY prepares to Counter.

HOOKTAIL bites AUBREY. 34 damage! AUBREY retaliates with an attack! 43 damage!

HERO attacks HOOKTAIL. 23 damage! A croak reverberates through the air.

HOOKTAIL: "Frogs?! Ugh there was a time when I almost choked on one... I am going to feel sick..."

All of HOOKTAIL's stats go down!

KOOPS drops a Shell Shield on AUBREY. AUBREY's Defense goes up!

Now to make things even easier...

KEL throws Confetti! Everyone is Happy!

OMORI Mocks HOOKTAIL. It's a moving attack! It hit right in the heart! 168 damage! HOOKTAIL's Attack cannot go down any further!

AUBREY attacks HOOKTAIL. It's a moving attack! 78 damage!

HERO attacks HOOKTAIL. The attack whiffed.

HOOKTAIL: "Okay, you got me! How about a deal!"

HOOKTAIL: "How about 10,000 coins, and you don't even need to give anything back!"

We have enough clams already.

AUBREY: "Keep the change you monster!"

HOOKTAIL: "Okay, how about this extra rare, one-of-a-kind, special badge I have!"

Nope.

HERO: "We don't even need to use them anyways."

HOOKTAIL: "Okay, how about letting you smell the bottoms of my feet?"

HOOKTAIL: "Please travel across the world and pay me money for this, you know."

HOOKTAIL: "So care to smell the rich, yet unique scent of my feet?"

...

KEL: "That is the most disgusting thing I have ever heard from anything ever."

KEL: "AUBREY, do the honors."

AUBREY: "Agreed."

Without a second thought, AUBREY finishes off HOOKTAIL.

HOOKTAIL: "But I had so much to live for... so many people to eat..."

HOOKTAIL keels over.

OMORI and friends are victorious!

As HOOKTAIL flipped over and laid there, something leapt out of her mouth.

???: "I am free!"

KOOPS: "Dad, is that you?"

KOOPLEY: "Heya KOOPS, what are you doing here?"

KOOPS runs over and gives him a hug.

KOOPLEY: "You know, you did really good saving me here! I was in her gut forever!"

KOOPS: "I think you should praise them, not me. They were the ones which did most of the work."

KOOPS: "Do you know anything about Crystal Stars?"

KOOPLEY: "I do not, but I found a crystal in the shape of a star here!"

The Koopa held up a gleaming, while gem in the shape of a star.

KEL: "Woah! That must be it!"

AUBREY: "Thank you for the find!"

HERO: "I am glad we found your dad, KOOPS."

OMORI felt a little warm...?

KEL snatched the star, and suddenly, everyone felt a little stronger.

KEL: "Now, this feels good!"

HERO: "Let us take it back to the Thousand Year Door then."

AUBREY: "Goodbye KOOPS!"

KOOPS: "Bye!"

KOOPLEY: "Good luck on your adventure!"

End of Chapter!

X-Naut Fortress

After traversing the base, BASIL finds a large hull, with CRUMP working on a big box.

BASIL: "Hello? GRODUS sent me to help you."

CRUMP jolted up.

CRUMP: "..."

CRUMP: "ITS YOU."

CRUMP: "You were one of the little pipsqueaks who beat me up in Rogueport!"

CRUMP: "And now you snuck in here to flaunt your success, right?"

BASIL: "No...?"

CRUMP: "Regardless, you work for SIR GRODUS now, so come here."

BASIL: "What are you working on, it looks like some kind of sphere."

CRUMP: "Hop in."

BASIL: "Okay?"

CRUMP pressed a button, and the sphere began to unfold into a mech.

CRUMP: "Behold, MAGNUS VON GRAPPLE, my greatest invention!"

BASIL: "Is this unsafe?"

CRUMP: "It is a prototype, let me disable it."

The mech refolded.

CRUMP: "I have heard from GRODUS that some adventurers are collecting the Crystal Stars, and I am going to use this to crush them!"

CRUMP: "Buh huh huh!"

BASIL: "Heh?"

CRUMP: "Laugh!"

BASIL: "Oh god..."

MARI: "Is this the room?"

A darkened room began to light up, with a terminal and computer affixed to one of the walls.

???: "Hello."

MARI: "Oh!"

???: "You must be the new engineer and tester, chosen by SIR GROUDUS I assume?"

MARI: "Y-yes. My name is MARI."

TEC: "I am designated as TEC-X, though most call me TEC. I am the ultimate computer."

MARI: "So, what am I supposed to do?"

TEC: "I am meant to be the ultimate computer, but I lack several sources of information. You are here to provide such input."

TEC: "How about this? Do you have any family and friends?"

MARI: "Well, I have a younger brother."

TEC: "Can you describe him?"

MARI: "Well, he is quiet, stoic, and judgmental."

TEC: "Why do you still care for him, if these traits you do not like?"

MARI: "Well first, I am his older sister. I still need to care for him."

MARI: "And he is not all bad, he is imaginative, polite, and brave."

MARI: "Patient too."

TEC: "Still, it feels like he would be the type to sit alone, doing nothing, for the rest of time."

MARI: "Well, right now, he is with his friends, going on a little adventure."

MARI: "Maybe if I could get surveillance, I can see what he is up to."

TEC: "As thanks for stimulating me, I shall allow that."

MARI: "Last time I saw him, he was at Rogueport... hm..."