Peach sat on her bed in boredom, tired of reading as she waited for something to happen. She hated how she could have free reign of her castle while trapped up in the sky, but Bowser doesn't want her leaving her room. With all his dumb attempts to try to win her over, he didn't have to be too cautious. Even though Mario and his friends are rescuing the Star Spirits one by one, he could have at least granted her more room to do stuff instead of having guards monitor her castle 24/7. At least they didn't find out she had been finding information to give to Mario when Twink ends up finding him, and she gets great news in return when she hears Twilight has been finding her friends and that they were safe.
Twink was just as bored, itching to do something besides doing nothing while hiding from Bowser or any of his soldiers to check up on her. "Ugh. I'm so bored..."
"Me too," Peach said in agreement, both princess and Star Kid letting out heavy sighs. A few more seconds of silence later, the princess had an idea. "How about we try sneaking out again?"
"Better than sitting around with nothing else to do." Peach sat up and Twink followed, opening up the secret passage, making their way around to the study where the rotating platform took them, and snuck out the door.
Creeping their way down to the first floor, they tried to make a break for the front door again, but it was still tightly locked up. Their attempt at escape still impossible, they decided to explore more around the castle to see what else the Koopas have set up without her permission. There was one doorway they haven't checked in the foyer, but Peach knew it was just a hallway that was being renovated before the party. Quickly and quietly walking inside, she was surprised to see the renovations were not quite what she expected.
The entire hall was set up to look like a game show, three different colored pedestals in purple, yellow, and blue neon lights blinked rapidly, the backs a stack of ten sectioned off rectangles that seemed to be a point indicator, and there was a mic stand for where the host would stand. Unfortunately for her, there were a couple Koopatrols and a Hammer Bro. in the hall as well, all three of them spotting her while she was too focused on the stage for the game show. Twink quickly hid behind a nearby vase before he got caught as one of the Koopatrols approached her.
"Oh no, not again!" the gray Koopa exclaimed in shock. "How does the princess keep getting out!? I'm sorry, Your Highness, but we need to take you back to your room before King Bowser flips his wig, or even worse, Kammy Koopa."
"Now, wait a second," the Hammer Bro. said. "Keep your shell on. There's no need to panic. Princess Peach is stuck in the sky with nowhere to go. I kind of don't understand why His Nastiness gets mad when she's not kept in her room when there's no possible way she can escape."
"...I guess you're right, but it sucks when we get punished when we have no idea how she manages to get out of her room," the Koopatrol said.
"But this is perfect. Peach can participate and be our third player, and we can finally begin the game." The spiked Koopa Troopa thought it over, then nodded his head, eager to start playing. "Alright, so let's do this!"
"Umm, what kind of game are you talking about?" Peach asked, both curious and a little concerned.
"Just come this way, princess," the Hammer Bro. said, taking Peach's hand and guiding her over to the stage. "We won't tell King Bowser you got out again if you help us play our little game. I'm pretty sure you get bored staying in your room all day anyway, right?"
"I guess, but I'm not so sure about this..." As the Koopas got the princess situated, Twink panicked and flew up to the ceiling, worried about what would happen in this strange game they were about to play.
The Koopatrols and Peach sat underneath the colored podiums, the princess in the middle booth while the other Koopas took the remaining two. In front of her was was a simple buzzer, giving it a small press to test and see if it works. Her podium lit up as a small star popped up from a slot on one side, working pretty well as it sank back into the podium. The Hammer Bro. grabbed the microphone and skid in front of the three contestants, showing off as if there was a crowd to entertain them.
"Koopa Corps. presents The 64th Trivia Quiz-Off! I'm your host, Mr. Hammer!" An audience suddenly cheered around them, confusing Peach as she looked around to find where it was coming from. Mr. Hammer walked back over to the mic stand, waving to the invisible audience. Once he set the microphone back, he pulled out some cards from inside his shell, which held the questions for the two Koopatrols and princess. "Ok, the aim of the game is simple. The one who gets the most right answers out of ten will win a fabulous prize! But don't worry if you don't, for every one of our contestants will receive a consolation prize just for participating! If you know the answer, just be the first to buzz in and say the answer!
"Now, without any further delay, let's begin!" The Koopatrols readied their hands to press the buzzer as Mr. Hammer held up the first card. Peach did the same, curious to know what the prize is if she won. "Question 1: What is the name of the boss inside the volcano on Lavalava Island?" Peach immediately knew the answer after just learning about it not too long ago, quickly pressing her hand down on her buzzer. "Alright! Princess Peach!"
"The Lava Piranha," she said, bells ringing as she got the right answer.
"That's correct!" Mr. Hammer said. "Onto the next question, folks. Question 2: Where did Master Huff N. Puff imprison the Star Spirit?" That question caught the princess off guard. Glancing up at Twink, who was just as surprised as she was, they were actually going to get more information for Mario on the wherabouts of the next Star Spirit. A buzzer snapped Peach out of her thoughts as the Koopatrol in the pink section was quick on the draw. "Spiky Tom?"
"In Flower Fields," the Koopatrol answered, getting it correct as he earned a point while the invisible crowd cheered for him.
"Correct! Next question!" the Hammer Bro. said, switching over to the next question. "Question 3: What is the name of the scary round monster that lives in Dry Dry Ruins?" Peach was going to buzz in, but was beaten by the other Koopatrol in the blue podium. "Spiky John!"
"Uhh...Bob-ombs?" Spiky John answered, a sharp buzzer sound blared as he got it wrong.
"I'm sorry, that's incorrect," Mr. Hammer said, then turned his attention to Peach as she buzzed in. "Princess Peach?"
"Chomps," she said, getting it right as she earned another point.
"Correct! Don't worry, John, you have a chance to catch up." The Hammer Bro. flipped over to the next question while Spiky John worried he wasn't going to even get one point in this game. "Question 4: How would you get to Flower Fields?" Peach was stumped on this question as well, having no idea how to get to Flower Fields aside from the air. There was no known route to there, and Mario could use this helpful hint to get there and save the Star Spirit. Spiky Tom buzzed in, knowing the answer with a grin. "Tom, what's your answer?"
"By passing Flower Gate," he said, earning himself a point as the audience cheered.
"That's correct!" Mr. Hammer said. "It's still anyone's game. Now, onto question 5: What is the name of the person who King Bowser really loves?" As soon as he was finished reading the question, Peach immediately slapped her hand down on her buzzer, letting out an annoyed sigh. "Princess!"
"...Me. Princess Peach," she uttered, getting herself a point at the easy answer with the invisible audience cheering for her.
"That was an obvious one from the get-go," Mr. Hammer said, now a laugh track played in response to the quirky comment he made.
"Where in the world is all this stuff coming from?" Twink questioned silently, keeping himself hidden while looking around to find whatever was making the strange audience reactions.
"We're halfway through, and Peach is currently in the lead with three points!" Mr. Hammer continued as the invisible audience cheered. "Spiky Tom's following up with one point below the princess, and Spiky John doesn't have any yet. Don't worry, Johnny boy, you still have a chance. Moving onto question 6: What thing is most deeply related to Flower Fields?"
Spiky John quickly buzzed in. "Flowers!"
"Correct!" Mr. Hammer exclaimed. "Spiky John's finally on the board, but it's not over yet. Question 7: What's the name of the most admirable, invincible, most downright cool guy around?"
Peach scoffed, not sure if they really believe Bowser was really the best around, but she didn't buzz in on time as Tom pressed his buzzer first. "His Royal Nastiness, King Bowser!"
"That is obviously correct! Spiky Tom and Peach are tied at three, and we're getting down to the wire," Mr. Hammer commented before moving on to the next question. "Question 8: What's the name of the ghosts who live in and around Forever Forest?" Peach quickly buzzed in, not giving Spiky Tom a chance to outdo her. "Princess Peach!"
"Boos," she answered, earning another point and staying in the lead.
"That is correct! Question 9: What's the name of the area just south of the post office in Toad Town?" Spiky Tom beat Peach and Spiky John as he buzzed in first. "Tom?"
"The Flower Garden," he answered, tying the score at four with Peach.
"That is correct!" Mr. Hammer said, flipping to the last question. "Ok, last question. The score is tied at four with Spiky Tom and Peach. This can decide the game, folks. Now, question 10: Where is Peach's castle now?" All three contestants quickly slapped their hands down on their buzzers, but the one who managed to hit it first was Peach. "Princess Peach!"
"On top of Bowser's castle!" she said, earning a chime and another point as the "audience" applauded.
"Correct!" Mr. Hammer said. He then walked away from his position, taking the microphone with him as he stood before the three contestants. "And that's the end of the Quiz-Off, folks! And our winner is our surprise guest, Princess Peach!" The invisible audience cheered again as the Hammer Bro. approached the princess, pulling out the prize, which was what appeared to be a jar of jelly. "Congratulations, Princess Peach, here is your prize: a jar of delicious Jammin' Jelly! The tastiest of jams that's good on everything: eggs, toast, Mushrooms, and a whole lot more!"
"Umm...Thank you," Peach said, accepting the jar as her reward despite how odd of a prize it was.
"Thank you all for coming everyone!" Mr. Hammer said to the "audience". "We'll see you all later in the next Trivia Quiz-Off! This is Mr. Hammer, signing out! Good evening, everyone!" With the game now being over, the Koopatrols left their spots, Spiky John walking away dejectedly, even though he managed to get one question right, while Spiky Tom was a little disappointed he was beaten, but he had some fun challenging the princess in something. Peach walked away from her podium and was about to walk out, but Mr. Hammer stopped her. "Oh, wait! Before you go, Princess Peach, here's you participation prize."
He held out a blue parasol, which was an odd prize when it didn't seem to rain from where the castle was now and she would get another one after already winning the "best" prize. "An umbrella?"
"It's actually more than just an umbrella. It's called the Sneaky Parasol," he explained. "Just hold it out at someone, open it up, and you'll transform into the person next to you...Just don't use it to sneak out, otherwise we'll all get in a heap of trouble."
"...And you're giving me this...why?" Peach asked, confused and a little suspicious.
"It's just a participation prize. Besides, there's no way you can escape from here, so it's a pretty useless prize unless you plan on sneaking around, since you somehow manage to escape your room." Twink had to suppress a groan at how dimwitted Bowser's troops were. Peach gave the umbrella a blank stare, surprised that she's managed to escape from her room several times already, and none of them bothered to search her room for the secret exit. "But, we'll keep our promise not to rat you out. Now hurry back to your room before-"
The door to the room opened up, and from the heavy footsteps coming in, Peach quickly hid between the yellow and pink quiz stations as Bowser walked inside. "Hey, what's going on in here?" the Koopa King asked curiously. "Are you playing something? I want to join in!"
Bowser cheerfully walked up to Mr. Hammer and Spiky Tom, both soldiers sweating nervously as they tried not to avert their eyes at the princess hiding from their king. As soon as he walked past Peach, she snuck away from him and quietly made her way to the door to avoid getting spotted.
"Uhh, King Bowser! What a surprise!" Mr. Hammer said. "As much as we'd love for you to join...I'm sorry to say it ended."
"What!? Aww man!" Bowser pouted and crossed his arms across his chest. "Of all the rotten luck. I was hoping to do something fun today." Unfortunately for Peach, he turned around too soon to walk out in a huff, letting out a surprised grunt that made her freeze in place, clutching the items she had to her chest so Bowser didn't see her prizes. "W-What!? Peach!? Again!?"
"Heeheeheehee," Peach giggled nervously, turning her head toward him. "H-Hello, Bowser..."
"Ok, seriously!? How do you keep sneaking out of your room!?" Bowser asked angrily, quickly turning to the Hammer Bro. and Koopatrol immediately standing at attention. "You two take her back to her room right now! And I'll be having a chat with the guard who's supposed to be guarding her door...Later."
"Y-Yes, Your Highness!" both soldiers said, quickly running up to the princess and grabbing her shoulders gently.
"Sorry, princess," Mr. Hammer apologized.
"Don't worry," she assured. "I had a feeling I was going to get caught anyway."
The Koopatrol and Hammer Bro. escorted Peach out of the room, Twink following after them as soon as Bowser turned away from the door. Aside from winning a few prizes, they did learn about the next location of the Star Spirit in Flower Fields, though how exactly Mario and the others would get through this Flower Gate to make it there eluded them.
After escaping the volcano by mere seconds before it erupted, the group landed safely in the jungle by the ravine of lava. Thankfully, they saw the lava from the eruption flow down into the ocean, leaving the rest of Lavalava Island free from being burnt to cinders. The ponies all breathed a sigh of relief as soon as they touched the soft, safe grass, not as durable as anyone from the Mushroom Kingdom with lava when they just leap up out of it like they stepped in scalding hot water. Misstar dropped Kolorado, plopping on his back, staring at the sky in depression.
"My treasure...it's gone," he uttered.
"Let it go, Kolorado!" Misstar scolded, making the explorer wince. She lifted him up on his feet, keeping her stern gaze on him as she lectured him. "Your life is more precious than any worthless bauble made out of a rare mineral to sell for coins! For goodness sake, you always leave without telling your own wife you're going on a dangerous quest for ancient relics or gold items from a lost civilization, and you don't seem to care about how she feels when she's worrying about your safety! Learn to think about what's really important in your life than the thrill of adventure and almost getting yourself killed, like getting burned alive in lava."
"B-But..." Kolorado paused, then let out a sigh, hanging his head in shame as he was scolded like a little hatchling.
Letting him mull over her words, the Star Spirit turned to the others. "And to think that this island was put in peril because of Bowser's men meddling with everyone and everything around them. The eruption would soon subside, and Lavalava Island would return to normal."
"Will the Yoshis be bothered by the lava?" Fluttershy asked out of concern.
"I don't think the Yoshis are that bothered by the volcano erupting," Sushie assured. "If they were, they would have fled this island centuries ago. They're more worried about the children than a little lava flowing this way."
"Oh. Ok," Fluttershy said.
"Mario, you have rescued five of us Star Spirits," Misstar said. "Only two more remain. Now, let me bestow upon you my power." Concentrating her power, stars sprinkled down on Mario as she granted him her power, adding up to the other four abilities the others gave him. "My power is Smooch. If you ever get too badly hurt, just call me and I'll help rejuvenate you in a pinch." Misstar then winked at the plumber as he responded with a nervous chuckle while scratching his head. He had always received a kiss from Princess Peach after rescuing her, and maybe even a cake, but being kissed by a Star Spirit to heal him was far more nerve-wracking considering he had no idea how it'll feel. "I must return to Star Haven. I have faith in you all. You will see your princess soon enough."
"And you'll help us find our last friend, Applejack, right?" Twilight asked.
"Of course. But I need to recover a little more first. We'll let you know if we find your friend." Misstar waved them goodbye and flew back up to Star Haven.
As they watched Misstar return home, Kolorado sighed heavily. "Great...I lose the treasure, and then I get yelled at by a blooming great starfish."
"Star Spirit," everyone corrected.
"Whatever..." The Koopa slowly trudged away with his head hung low, making his way back to Yoshi's Village.
"Oh great. Now he's moping," Bow grumbled. "Should I just phase through the lava and find him that stupid treasure so he can quit being miserable?"
"I'm not sure if the treasure managed to survive in the molten lava from the eruption," Kooper said. "Even if it did, I'd be surprised if the lost civilization managed to create lava-proof chests."
"Well, as curious as it is to know about that, can I please get a shower or a bath?" Rarity asked. "I smell absolutely terrible and look absolutely horrid!"
"Yeah, I think we all need one," Twilight agreed, feeling just as disgusting as when she sweat up a storm walking through Dry Dry Desert. "But I don't think the Yoshis have bathrooms with bathtubs or showers to clean themselves up."
"There might be no bathrooms, but there is a little hot spring behind the Toad House," Sushie said. "Not exactly a decent bathtub for town or city standards, but it's always refreshing to take a dip."
Rarity let out a small whine, not exactly fond of soaking in a hot spring where others have used it as a bath, but it was the closest thing she was going to get as she let out a sigh. "Alright...Better than not taking a bath for several days in a dusty, filthy mansion."
Bow grumbled at Rarity's complaints, keeping quiet as she rolled her eyes. They made their way back into the village to rest a little after surviving a heated encounter with the Lava Piranha and escaping Mt. Lavalava's eruption. The Toad House nearby didn't really leave much to go by as it was just a big space protected by shrubbery to act as a perimeter wall with some trees covering the area for shade. But just as Sushie said, there was a hot spring in the back, thankfully not too close to the jungle as it stayed just in the safe environment of the village.
"Alright! Time for a dip!" Rainbow said, flying ahead and stepping into the hot spring first.
"Hot spring party!" Pinkie cheered, bouncing high and aimed for the spring, surprisingly making a small splash as she landed instead of a larger one.
"Girls first!" Bow and Bombette exclaimed as they ran/floated toward the water, joining the two mares for a soak.
"What!? That's not fair!" Goombario complained.
"Sorry, but ladies, indeed, first," Rarity said. "And I need to clean my fur, mane, and tail off all this dust, soot, dirt, everything that I made contact with for nearly a week without any warm water!"
The unicorn ran toward the spring and splashed right in, letting out a heavy sigh of relief as she got what was close enough to a bath she was ever going to get for a while. Unfortunately, with how small the hot spring was, it was only able to fit a few people, depending on their size or species, so the others would have to wait.
"I don't mind waiting for everypony else to go first," Fluttershy offered.
"Well, if we're going to wait, I'm going to take a little stroll in the jungle," Twilight said. "I'd rather cool off first before stepping hoof back in something hot again."
"Be careful, Twilight," Kooper warned. "I know you've got some powerful magic, but don't get ambushed by anything in the jungle."
With a nod, Twilight wandered off and made her way into Jade Jungle. She thought of maybe taking a little dip in the river water, but decided not to if there were any dangerous aquatic creatures that might attack her. With her bags still worn on her back, she pulled out the three seeds she got from the Bub-ulbs in Toad Town, on Mt. Rugged, and in the Forever Forest. It puzzled her with how important these special seeds seemed to be to those living plant creatures, holding some importance they didn't explain to her.
"Hmm...I wonder if those Bub-ulbs have some sort of magic we don't know about," Twilight pondered aloud. "Maybe these seeds can grow into unique flowers that give somepony a temporary boost in strength. Or what if it can-?" While lost in her thoughts, she wasn't paying attention to where she was going as she smacked her hoof against a chest in the middle of one of the islands. "Ow! Who in the hay leaves a treasure chest in the middle of nowhere!?" She rubbed her sore hoof, only to pull a double-take when she looked down at the slightly charred treasure chest. "...Wait a minute...Is this...?"
She inspected the mysterious chest, noting the slightly burnt sections while the bottom side seemed a bit charred. Twilight didn't notice a yellow flower poke up from the ground behind her, popping up more to reveal a Bub-ulb underneath it.
"That chest came falling from the sky just a moment ago," he said, startling the alicorn as she turned around and engulfed the hybrid plant in her aura. "Whoa, hey! I'm not poisonous or dangerous!"
Twilight let out a sigh, letting go of the Bub-ulb. "Don't scare me like that," she said. "I got startled by one of you before knowing what you were."
"Sorry," the Bub-ulb apologized. "But if it's fair, I got startled by the volcano erupting. The soil here is amazing after an eruption from what I heard. The lava after it's cooled to rock is a great fertilizer to make plants grow stronger."
"Yes, that is true..." Twilight looked back at the chest, then back at the Bub-ulb. "You said this came 'from the sky'...Did this get shot out of the volcano? It looked like the one Kolorado was trying to grab before we escaped." Curious and surprised to get the chance to see an ancient artifact from Mt. Lavalava, Twilight opened the chest and pulled out what lied inside. It was an old vase made of clay, painted yellow and handcrafted many years ago. "A vase...Interesting. Whatever once lived her several centuries ago, they were really skilled with pottery. And it's still in perfect condition."
"I bet you could put a lot of beautiful flowers in there," the Bub-ulb commented.
"Maybe they did grow flowers," Twilight said. "...Speaking of flowers, I met other Bub-ulbs throughout the kingdom. They also gave me these seeds." She showed the flower creature the pink, blue, and green seeds she had been given as gifts from the other Bub-ulbs. "And I'm guessing you have a seed you'd like to give to somepony who noticed you?"
The Bub-ulb was quiet for a moment, looking down at the ground and scuffing his foot along the grass. "...Uhh, actually, I did have a seed...but I gave it to someone else."
"Y-You did???" Twilight asked in surprise. "Who?"
"A Koopa Troopa with a pith helmet and a black mustache walked by and noticed my flower, so I gave it to him." The description matched Kolorado to a T, the alicorn facehoofing with a groan at the unfortunate news.
"Did he really go in the jungle while we went to find Raphael the Raven when we told him to stay put?" she mumbled to herself. She let out a heavy sigh and looked at the Bub-ulb. "...You don't by any chance have another seed on you by any chance, do you?"
"No, sorry," the Bub-ulb apologized. "If you want another, it'll take quite a long while."
"...Alright. Never mind, then," Twilight said. "We don't really have time to squander, even if we're resting for a while..." She lifted up the "treasure" Kolorado was searching for earlier, humming in thought as she examined it a little more. "Actually, maybe I don't have to. I'd be Kolorado would like to trade this for that seed...Uhh, are the seeds important in any way?" she asked the Bub-ulb. "Aside from spreading flowers over the land."
"They are. With those three and my seed, plant them in a circular garden surrounding an empty archway, and you can create a door that leads to my home in Flower Fields," the Bub-ulb said. "I haven't been there in a while, but it's a beautiful place. And with other talking flowers, too."
"That sounds like a lovely place to visit, but maybe after we stop Bowser and save the Mushroom Kingdom." After bidding farewell to the Bub-ulb, Twilight placed the seeds back in her bag and headed back to the village with the volcano vase on her back. Once back inside Yoshi's Village, she spotted the explorer sitting by the edge of the shore, still moping as he watched the waves lap across the sand. She walked past the Yoshis, watching out for the Yoshi kids as they ran around playing a game. She sat down beside him, keeping the vase out of Kolorado's view, but he didn't pay her any mind as he stared at the ocean. "So, Misstar's scolding finally got to your head yet?"
"I'm not a hatchling," Kolorado uttered. "I can't help myself if I have that unbearable itch to go out and explore ancient ruins and get into danger. I don't always leave without telling my wife, but I hate being cooped up in one place for too long. I seek adventure, traveling to different parts of the world, finding ancient relics of the past, and I know of the trouble I can get into. If she knew where I was going, she'd try to tag along with me and risk getting hurt...Better me than her with Bowser causing a lot of trouble."
"I'm pretty sure she'll understand if you tell her instead of making her worry half to death," Twilight said. "No wonder you need somepony to smack some sense into you." Kolorado simply shrugged in response. "Well, since you're feeling down, I found you a little something I think will lift your spirits up."
Twilight levitated the vase out in front of the Koopa, surprising him as his jaw dropped in awe. "W-What? A vase?...A vase made by the ancient civilization that once thrived in Mt. Lavalava!" He quickly grasped the vase, observing the artifact from all angles. "Where did you find this!? There wasn't anything while we went through the volcano!"
"Well, it turns out that chest you were crazy about earlier actually came out with us," Twilight said, shocking Kolorado as he looked at her. "It landed in the jungle not too far from the village. Talk about a stroke of luck, huh?"
"Indeed..." Gently placing the vase down on the ground beside him, Kolorado reached into his shell, pulling out a yellow seed similar to the other three Twilight had. "I suppose a trade for the vase sounds fair after dealing with my insanity, eh? All I have is this seed I got from a Bub-ulb in the very same jungle, but I don't have a use for it."
"Sounds fair to me," Twilight said, accepting the seed and putting it in her bags. "And you didn't listen to us and stay put in the village when we went off to jungle while we were gone."
"I got bored and didn't assist you in rescuing the Yoshi kids. I could handle myself." The alicorn stared at him with a raised brow, knowing he wasn't able to after he was attacked by Jungle Fuzzies and Spear Guys earlier. Kolorado realized his contradiction, along with stupidly stepping on lava a couple times, not counting his attempt to help the others against the Lava Piranha as it moved out of the way...when he heard him release a battle cry. "...Ok, not that well, but enough."
"Uh huh," Twilight mumbled.
"Well, I believe I can call this adventure a success," Kolorado continued. "Chock up another expedition that will be forever recorded in the history of archaeology. I wonder what other ancient secrets await me."
"How about you relax with your wife when you get back home for a while before going back on another wild adventure?" Twilight suggested.
Kolorado chuckled nervously while scratching the back of his neck. "Eh, right. She's probably already mad at me already..." He looked out at the sea, noting the sun beginning to set as the sky began to turn orange. "But we should head back tomorrow. We've had quite an expedition and need some rest."
"No kidding," Twilight said with a yawn. "We went through three separate areas and fought Bowser's strongest troops all in one day. I'm ready for a good night's sleep...right after I soak in the hot spring if everyone else has already had their turn."
"Hot spring? Well, sign me up!" Kolorado stood up, picked up his vase, and ran off toward the Toad House. "I haven't taken a dip in one in ages!"
"H-Hey! At least let me go before you do!" Twilight called out, chasing after him and hoping her four legs could outrun his two and reach the spring before Kolorado did.
The next morning, after a good night's rest in the Toad House, everyone gathered by the entrance of Yoshi's Village. Despite using the hot spring as a bath, Rarity considered herself clean enough even without using soap, glad to finally be rid of the dust that caked her fur. The Yoshis all gathered around them to see them off, the kids huddled around Fluttershy as they hugged her legs with pleading eyes for her not to leave.
"Do you really have to go, Miss Fluttershy?" the red Yoshi kid asked.
"I have to. My friends need my help," she said, letting go of the five young Yoshis. "We also need to find Applejack, the last of my friends who's still out there somewhere."
"Can you come back and visit us when you beat Bowser with your Stare?" the green Yoshi kid asked.
"Maybe, but I don't know how long that'll be," Fluttershy said. "I don't think my Stare would work on him, though..."
"We hope to see you all again," the Yoshi chief said. "Stay safe out there, and bring peace back to the Mushroom Kingdom once again."
After saying their goodbyes, the party exited the village and made their way back to the whale, who had patiently waited for them. "There you all are!" he said as they approached him. "Looks like you managed to steer clear of the eruption. Were you successful in finding what you needed?"
"We sure have," Kolorado said, holding up the volcanic vase.
"And we rescued the Star Spirit, too," Twilight added. "We're ready to head back into town."
"Of course." The whale spotted Fluttershy and Sushie among them. "And with new members of your entourage, I presume?"
"We found a lost friend of ours and a new partner who has overpower water powers!" Pinkie said. "You should see the tidal wave she can make! She can probably make a bigger splash than you, Mr. Whale."
"I don't doubt something else can splash more than me. Especially a Cheep Cheep like Sushie." No one had mentioned Sushie's name, the whale surprising everyone as he seemed to have known her.
"We occasionally crossed paths with each other while swimming through the sea," Sushie explained, bouncing up on the whale's back before the others. "He always sleeps with his mouth open. And he snores. Very loudly."
"I do not!" the whale whined. "And I need to stop sleeping with my mouth open or else get a terrible stomachache from whatever live thing gets sucked into my mouth."
"What did you eat by accident this time?" Sushie asked teasingly, making the others wonder if these two were friends.
"...A big, fuzzy centipede used as bait by a fisherman to catch fish," he uttered.
Sushie began laughing at the embarrassed tone the whale gave as he described his woes. After the Cheep Cheep and whale regained their composure, everyone else boarded on the whale's back to ride back to Toad Town Port.
"WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOA!!!!!!!!" a voice cried out from the ocean.
"What the hay was that?" Rainbow asked.
Looking out at the ocean, everyone except for Sushie, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Watt, Kolorado and the whale knew who was swimming toward them. "Oh no," Goombario groaned. "Not again!"
Sprinting through the water was none other than Jr. Troopa, finding Mario and his group yet again in his never-ending quest to get revenge on the plumber. The ones who had met him before were confused as to why he swam instead of flew across, able to sprout wings at will back in Forever Forest. Arriving on dry land, the Koopa with a vendetta leapt up onto the island, panting and wheezing in exhaustion as he tried to catch his breath.
"Yes!" Jr. Troopa cheered, coughing as he breathed heavily. "I-I...swam...all the way! Whew! Oh, my lungs..."
"Umm, who is that?" Watt asked curiously.
"Is that a little Koopa?" Fluttershy asked. "Oh dear. Why did he swim across the ocean? I think he needs our help."
"No!" Twilight, Pinkie, Rarity, Goombario, Kooper, Bombette, Parakarry, and Bow quickly exclaimed.
"But why-?" Before Fluttershy could why they couldn't help the tired, eggshell-wearing Koopa, Mario held the yellow pegasus down on the whale's back.
"Quick, Mr. Whale! Flip your tail fin off to town A.S.A.N.!" Pinkie exclaimed.
"'A.S.A.N.?" the whale questioned in confusion.
"As soon as NOW!" the mare abbreviated. "That annoying cliche where an enemy we keep seeing over and over that's stronger than last time is gonna happen again, and it gets really old in this game - I mean story - I mean...JUST FLOOR IT!"
Unsure what the worried ponies and Mushroom Kingdom heroes were fussing about with the young Koopa, the whale swam off, to Watt, Sushie, Kolorado, Rainbow, and Fluttershy's confusion. Jr. Troopa finally caught his breath, puffing out his chest and turning around to face his foes.
"Alright, Mario! You and your friends - not including my beloved white angel - are gonna-!" Jr. Troopa noticed his enemies leave him behind, already far away from Lavalava Island. His jaw dropped, letting out strangled noises as his blood began boiling. "Hey! Get back here you coward!" The Koopa dove back in the water and swam back after them. "SHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!!!!!!!!"
"What is wrong with all of you!?" Sushie exclaimed, scolding the members of the group who decided to abandon Jr. Troopa after seeing him swim several miles across the ocean. "We're just going to leave that poor boy alone when he could collapse from exhaustion!?"
"Sushie, we can explain," Twilight said. "That 'boy' is Jr. Troopa, and trust us when we say he doesn't need our help."
"He's just a little Koopa kid," Rainbow said. "What could he have possibly done that makes you guys so worried about him?"
"Did you not hear me, Dashie!?" Pinkie exclaimed, grabbing her friend's shoulders and shaking her. "He keeps popping up like a random encounter in tall grass and doesn't go away until he's knocked unconscious! And he's going to keep stopping us from saving the world because he wants revenge on Mario!"
Rainbow grabbed Pinkie's hooves, pushing her back so her eyes could readjust themselves back to normal from the shakedown. "What are you talking about!?"
"Let me explain," Goombario said. "Jr. Troopa has been a menace to my family in Goomba Village, thinking that everything there belongs to him. Mario met him after saving Goompa when the veranda he built got busted by Kammy's roadblock slamming on our front gate, right after that little punk beat up my Goompa because they were trespassing on his 'playground'. He got beaten and swore vengeance, and ever since we came back to Toad Town after dealing with the Koopa Bros. and saving Eldstar, he blocked our path and picked a fight with us."
"We also met him in Forever Forest, and even though he's a bit of a dumb brat, he's no laughing matter," Bow added. "He's a little nuisance, and the sooner we avoid him, the better. We're on a big time crunch saving the kingdom and all that."
Watt and Rainbow looked at each other, still lost, but Sushie was not swayed. Neither was Fluttershy, worried about Jr. Troopa's health and how much toll on his body was for swimming such a long distance in dangerous waters.
"He's still just a little boy!" Sushie exclaimed. "And you all beat him up how many times!?"
"We know you're upset about this, Sushie, but believe us," Kooper quickly said, raising his hands up in defense in case the angry Cheep Cheep began to belly flop them. "He may be a kid, but that little Koopa is incredibly tough."
"Where exactly is his shell?" Kolorado asked curiously. "I figured a Koopa his age would be wearing the shell he was born in, not dressed in his own eggshell."
"I really have no idea what happened to his actual shell," Goombario answered. "He wore that eggshell when I first met him. Probably lost it and didn't bother trying to find it."
The rest of the ride was left in silence. Sushie was incredibly upset that they believed Jr. Troopa was more of a menace than Bowser, Fluttershy didn't believe them either, despite trusting her friends with what they've gone through, and Rainbow Dash and Watt were indifferent to this information. They finally arrived at the port, everyone disembarking from the whale's back. Kolorado stretched his legs, keeping his treasure held in his arms.
"And we are back," the archaeologist said. "Tuna-ferrying is one thing I'm going to cross off my list of odd modes of transportation."
"I am a whale!" the whale exclaimed in offense. "I'm a mammal! I don't have gills!" He then sighed, giving up on the issue as he no longer had to deal with being called a tuna by Kolorado anytime soon. "Why do I even bother?"
"Anyway, I must head back to Koopa Village," Kolorado continued. "I'm probably going to be given an earful or two from my wife, but it'll be worth it after I take a little break after this adventure. Farewell, everyone! May our paths cross once again, Kooper!"
"Same here, professor!" Kooper said as Kolorado made his way back home.
As soon as he disappeared into town, before they could continue on, they turned out toward the sea as they heard an all familiar yell. "WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!"
Swimming up to the docks was Jr. Troopa, surprising everyone as he swam after them, despite his earlier exhaustion back on Lavalava Island. "Oh you have got to be kidding me," Goombario grumbled, smacking himself in the forehead with his foot.
"He is way too persistent," Twilight muttered.
Jr. Troopa grabbed the edge of the pier, pulling himself up and wheezed, taking in big lungfuls of air with each breath. "I...am never...EVER...gonna swim...again...for the rest of my life!" He walked down the pier, hunching over and panting some more once he was away from the water. "H-hang on. G-Gimmie a sec..."
"He really swam across the ocean?...Twice?" Parakarry questioned aloud. "He has wings. If I were him, I'd be less exhausted flying over the water."
"Ok, that does it. I'm helping this poor child!" Sushie exclaimed, ignoring the others' warnings and flopped over to the panting Koopa. "Dearie, are you alright? What in the world were you thinking swimming across the ocean all by your lonesome?"
"None of your business, you old hag!" Jr. Troopa said.
Sushie's jaw dropped in shock. "...Now, that's not very nice! I'm trying to help you, and you're going to call me names? Apologize at-!"
"Get out of my way!" Jr. Troopa grabbed Sushie and flung her behind him, sending the Cheep Cheep in the water. Sushie surfaced, no longer feeling sorry for the surprisingly tough Koopa child.
"Oh my goodness, they were right. What an ungrateful little Koopa you are!" She leapt out of the water and flopped over to him. "You're in the mood for a spanking if you keep that up!"
"Go eat seaweed! Mario is who I'm after, not a fat, old fish!" Sushie growled at the insult, but Jr. Troopa ignored her and walked toward Mario. "I'm not going down so easily this time, Mario! I've gotten a lot stronger since last time!"
"How dare you!?" Fluttershy exclaimed, marching up to the rude little Koopa. "We only wanted to help you since you looked so tired, and you're being rude to us! If you don't behave right this instant, I'm going to give you...The Stare!"
"...The what?" Jr. Troopa asked. "And you're one of those weird bird-animal things like that horned one." Looking over to the side, he spotted Rainbow Dash. "...How many of you things are there!? That rainbow one looks dumb with that colorful hair."
"Hey, don't talk smack about my mane, you little twerp!" Rainbow said, almost about to ram into Jr. Troopa with a speedy tackle if Twilight wasn't holding her back.
"It's dumb! It's like you dyed it to make it look that way!" Jr. Troopa said. Ignoring the scowl on Rainbow's face, he then noticed Rarity, hearts floating around him as he looked at his crush. "Unlike milady's beautiful, purple, natural curls."
Rainbow balked and looked at Rarity. "Wait...that kid has a thing for you?"
"Apparently so," Rarity said. "I thought it was adorable at first, but if he's actually this seriously in love with me, it's just awkward."
"Spike has a crush on you," Rainbow reminded Rarity, giving the unicorn a blank stare. "A baby dragon having a crush on you isn't more awkward than a little turtle?"
"At least I know Spike and he's not as dangerous as those other dragons," Rarity reasoned. "Jr. Troopa...he's a lot more dangerous. And very rude if he's attacking everypony else."
"Fear not, my angel!" Jr. Troopa pronounced dramatically. "I shall sweep you off your four feet and show these losers never to mess with Jr. Troopa!"
"You apologize to Sushie for throwing her like that," Fluttershy demanded.
"Make me!" The pegasus opened her eyes wide, giving the Koopa her petrifying Stare. Instead of freezing him in fear, Jr. Troopa tilted his head in confusion, wondering why she was looking at him like that. "...Why are you looking at me like that? Do I have something on my face?" Failing to scare him to stop, Fluttershy stared harder, but it didn't seem to be affecting him. "Ok, if you're just going to do nothing but look at me, then you're wasting my time. Out of the way, you four-legged, yellow bird!"
Jr. Troopa headbutted Fluttershy in the chest, making her gasp in pain as she was sent flying back toward the others, Mario quickly catching the timid mare. Rainbow had enough, more irate than ever after watching the Koopa hurt her best friend after her Stare failed to paralyze him.
"Hey! Nopony hurts Fluttershy!" she exclaimed. "You're gonna pay for that, you little runt!" Not needing any permission, Twilight let go of Rainbow Dash, allowing her to attack the dangerous child. Jr. Troopa let out a yell and sprouted his wings again, but he also somehow managed to crate a spike on the top of his eggshell hat. Rainbow was too fast to stop herself when she noticed too late, her hoof pricked hard as he lowered his head in defense. "OW!" she screamed, flapping back while holding her injured hoof. "W-What the hay!? When did he grow a spike on his head!?"
Jr. Troopa laughed at the pegasus mockingly as he hovered in the air. "I told you I got stronger! Now I can fly and have the perfect defense from getting trounced on the head! Try getting past that, Mario!" The hero of the Mushroom Kingdom growled, sitting Fluttershy up after making sure she was ok. As he stepped forward, the Lucky Star began glowing yellow, Fluttershy's inherited magical power absorbed into the charm unleashing itself. "I'm gonna ram my spike straight through you and get my revenge!"
Jr. Troopa flew forward, dive-bombing down on Mario headfirst, aiming the sharp spike on him. His hands and feet glowed a yellow aura similar to the glow of the Lucky Star, no time to figure out what it does as he held his arms up to stop the flying, spike-topped Koopa. His hands blocked his head, one hand gripping onto the sharp spike tightly as he pushed back, but to Mario's surprise, the spike didn't prick his hand. He didn't feel any pain, poking his thumb against the sharp point while Jr. Troopa struggled to flap into him.
"Fluttershy's power," Twilight uttered in awe, everyone astonished as they watched the struggle. Mario spun around, flinging Jr. Troopa away from him. The young Koopa recovered, rubbing his head with a growl and kept to the air. Looking down at his feet, Mario decided to test if the same ability applied to his powerful legs as well, running toward Jr. Troopa and leaping up into the air. Jr. Troopa only smirked, watching Mario give himself a hole in his foot for jumping on his head, but as the plumber landed on him, the spike was practically nonexistent as he bounced on his head hard. Completely stunned while receiving a powerful headache, Mario leapt up and ground pounded Jr. Troopa's head, his hindquarters also protected from the spike as his weight slammed the Koopa back to the ground with a thud. "Is it some kind of immunity to any physical defenses opponents have?"
"It's like the Spike Shield badge, if only badges were used as part of this story, but it's not!" Pinkie said. "Maybe Fluttershy's power comes from her protectiveness toward critters who were helpless in defending themselves, just like the Yoshi kids when she beat up those evil Piranha Plants!" Her theory was immediately forgotten as she bounced over to Fluttershy, who was rubbing her sore chest. "Are you ok, Fluttershy? Do you need a medic? Should Mario call Misstar to Smooch you some health back? Or would you like to eat a Mushroom instead?"
"I-I'm ok," Fluttershy assured, wincing a little as she breathed in too deeply. "I thought my stare would have worked on him, but it didn't."
"He's probably too stubborn to be stopped by anything unless it's a beating," Goombario said.
Jr. Troopa groaned and got up on his knees, rubbing his sore head in bafflement. "H-How? How were you able to jump on my head!? You were supposed to get pricked by my spike!? You're cheating!" He looked up, only to receive a powerful blow to the noggin as Mario fell back down and slammed his hammer on him. Seeing stars, Jr. Troopa groaned, staggering on his feet for a moment before falling over. His wings and spike disappeared, beaten far too quickly due to exhausting himself from swimming to and from Lavalava Island. Before falling unconscious, he had a realization as his voice was slurred. "Ya know...I had wings...I should have just flown across the water...I could have beaten Mario if I did that instead..."
Succumbing to his injuries and exhaustion, Jr. Troopa let out a groan as he passed out, his foot twitching randomly. Everyone stared at him, slightly surprised their encounter with him ended swiftly.
"...Well, that wasn't as bad as it was in Forever Forest," Twilight said.
All eyes soon fell on Sushie and Fluttershy as both Cheep Cheep and pegasus were the ones who actually wanted to help Jr. Troopa. "...Ok, I see what you all mean," Sushie said. "As young as he is, he acts like he can take care of himself...Good thing I didn't try belly flopping him if I knew he could grow a spike that quickly."
"So, NOW you want to help him up?" Bow asked.
"I want to...but I don't think there's any point trying to get him to change with that attitude of his," she responded. Sushie flopped over to Fluttershy, concerned about the growing bruise on her chest from Jr. Troopa's skull. "Are you sure you're alright, dear?"
"I'm ok to keep going," Fluttershy said. "I don't want to slow us all down."
"We actually have no idea where to go next, so we can take our time and gather some information," Goombario said.
"Here, Fluttershy, eat a healing Mushroom! That should help make the ouchies disappear!" Pinkie said, not giving the pegasus a chance to respond as she shoved one of their Mushrooms in her mouth.
This being her first Mushroom she's ever seen, thankfully not noticing the eyes or else she'd think it was a sentient fungus, it was surprisingly sweet as she chewed the big mouthful forced in her. The painful headbutt also dulled a little, which made her make a not to get herself some to bring with her for her animal friends who enjoy eating mushrooms. Rainbow took one of the Mushrooms as well, the pain lessening in her hoof, but she winced as she tried to walk on it. She preferred flying around anyway, hovering along with everyone as they headed to the center of Toad Town.
Along the way, Goombario saw a couple of familiar Goombas who were shopping in Toad Town: his mother and little sister. Goombaria was the first to spot him, running from Goomama and tackled him in a Goomba-style hug.
"Big brother!" the little Goomba said cheerfully. "I missed you!"
"Hey, Goombaria," Goombario greeted, patting his excited sister on the head.
"There's my little Goomba!" Goomama approached them after noticing him, hugging her son and kissing his cheek, embarrassing him in front of the rest of his friends. "I hope you're not getting into too much trouble traveling with Mario, Goombario."
"Well, that depends on what you mean by 'trouble'," Goombario said.
"Which means quite a lot in my book," she said. "Mario, I hope my son hasn't been too much of a bother for you." Mario shook his head, not even troubled in the slightest. Goomama then noticed the large group he and Goombario were with, mostly taking interest in the five ponies she had never seen before. "...Honey, what are those creatures with you and your friends."
"They're ponies, mom," Goombario corrected. "They came from another world called Equestria, and they're kind of stuck here until Twilight, the purple one with the wings and horn, can bring them back home. But they're missing one more friend, and they're helping us defeat Bowser."
"I like the pink one!" Goombaria said. "Her hair's all poofy! And she's got balloons on her butt!"
"It's called a cutie mark!" Pinkie said, suddenly appearing between the two female Goombas the moment they blinked. Startled, they yelped and leapt back in surprise. "I'm Pinkie Pie! And that's Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Twilight Sparkle!"
"...How did she even-?" Goomama tried to ask, but Goombario shook his head as he placed his foot over hers.
"Mom, one rule about Pinkie Pie we learned the hard way: Don't ask questions about Pinkie Pie," he explained.
"But she just...teleported behind us," the mother said, already feeling a headache coming on.
"Again, don't question her," Goombario paraphrased. "Anyway, guys, this is my mom and my little sister, Goombaria. What are you two doing here?"
"Oh...Well, we were doing a bit of grocery shopping, and Goombaria wanted to see if she wanted any new bows to wear," Goomama said. "Thankfully, Goomba Road was safe enough to travel now. Seems like that ridiculous Goomba King finally left."
"Mario and I took care of him," Goombario said. As he explained what had happened on Goomba Road a while back, Goombaria was riding on Pinkie's back, giggling and cheering as the mare gave her a bouncy ride. "It was kind of a close call when we confronted Red and Blue Goomba, but I finally beat those bullies...with a little help from Mario."
"Oh, I'm so proud of you!" Goomama said, hugging Goombario again. "I know those two bullies kept picking on you, but you stood up to them and won. You've gotten so big and strong, you're not the same little Goomba I raised as a baby."
Goombario giggled sheepishly, ignoring the teasing grins some of his friends had while they watched him. "Uhh, as much as I'd love to tell you everything else, mom, we kind of need to find out where to go next. We have two more Star Spirits to rescue, but we don't have any leads on where to go next."
"Ok. Don't exert yourself too much, especially with that technique your Goompa taught you," Goomama warned. "And have you been bathing regularly? Washing all over? Are you eating right? You're not getting into any fights with your friends, are you?"
"Mom!" Goombario complained, blushing heavily as his mother still treated him like a little Goomba. "I'm taking care of myself just fine!"
"I'm just wondering. You know I worry about you, sometimes." Despite being embarrassed, Goombario gave his mother a grin, sharing similar feelings with how his family fared without him around. They heard Goombaria's giggling as she rode on Pinkie's back. "Goombaria, let's keep shopping! Your brother and his friends need to get going!"
"Aww, but mommy, I wanna play with Pinkie some more!" Goombaria whined.
"Don't worry, Goombaria! After we beat up that meanie Bowser, I'll come by your house and we can play some more! Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!" Pinkie said, performing her Pinkie Promise to assure the little Goomba.
Goombaria pouted, but she believed Pinkie would keep her promise to her. She climbed off the earth pony and walked back to her mother, both Goombas waving them good-bye as they continued their way through town. Once they reached the center of town, they pondered where to go next as Goombario checked the map to any other places they haven't been to. While going over the map, Twilight noticed a nearby flower garden that surrounded a wooden archway. It sounded similar to the description the Bub-ulb back on Lavalava Island explained to her.
Curious, she pulled out the four colorful seeds she got from them, wondering if the gate to Flower Fields was here in this part of Toad Town. Twilight walked over to the circular flowerbed, which was mostly empty aside from two little patches of white flowers on the sides where the arch was set. While looking over the seeds, one of the Toadettes approached her, her mushroom head with pink spots, brown braided pigtails, wearing gardening gloves on her hands and an apron with a sprout on the front.
"Hello," she greeted. "You here to look at my flower garden?"
"This is your garden?" Twilight asked curiously. "...Kind of barren to be a garden."
"Yeah, but I'm waiting until I find special flower seeds that can create a magical door to a place called Flower Fields!" she said. "I've heard its filled with flora of all kinds, and I always want to go there!...Oh, my name his Minh T., by the way."
"Twilight Sparkle," the alicorn introduced herself. She held up the four seeds the Bub-ulbs gave her to Minh T. "Are these the seeds you needed?"
The Toadette gasped as her eyes were glued on the four big seeds. "Those are seeds from Bub-ulbs, aren't they!?" She squealed excitedly, jumping up and down in joy. "Those are exactly what I need to make the door to Flower Fields appear! Can I have them!? Please!? Pretty, pretty please!?"
"I guess I won't have any use for them anywhere else, so sure." Twilight gave the seeds to Minh T., who quickly began planting them immediately as she ran toward the flowerbed.
She placed each of the seeds in the soil, pink in the bottom left, blue in the top left, green in the top right, and yellow in the bottom right. As soon as they were planted, the seeds immediately sprouted into a bunch of flowers, the Bub-ulb's seeds surprising the alicorn as they were definitely not like other ordinary flower seeds. After they fully bloomed, Twilight and Minh T. saw a strange light come from the arch in the center of the flowers.
The light grew intense and almost blinding as it pulsed out, both of them shielding their eyes as something happened. Flowers began sprouting out from around the arch and floated up to the sky, a wooden doorway suddenly appearing as it spun around the arch rapidly before coming to a complete stop. As soon as the light faded, Twilight and Minh T. opened their eyes as they now saw a doorway in place of the empty arch. The Toadette cheered as it seemed to have worked.
"It worked! The Flower Gate is open! I can finally go to Flower Fields!" she exclaimed.
The rest of Twilight's friends came over to the flower garden after noticing the strange light show, surprised to see the doorway as well. "What the heck just happened over here?" Kooper asked.
"Umm, did Twilight use magic and make a door?" Watt asked.
"I...didn't do anything," the alicorn said. "Those strange seeds I got that Minh T. planted made it appear...It leads to a place called Flower Fields."
"Flower Fields?" Parakarry questioned. "But that place is hard to reach normally unless you can fly like me. I didn't know there was a magical gateway that connected to it."
"And it's one of the few places we've yet to have been in," Goombario added as he pointed at the general location of Flower Fields. "If most of the Mushroom Kingdom has been attacked by Bowser and his army, they might have also attacked there. And where there's Bowser's troops, there might be a Star Spirit there."
"Looks that way," Twilight said as everyone agreed to check out the area since they had no other leads. She turned to the excited Toadette, where she was sure she would be put in danger with whatever lies in wait for them. "Minh T., I think you'll have to wait a while before going into Flower Fields. Bowser's soldiers might be there, and it could be a bit too dangerous to explore on your own."
Minh T. frowned, but she sighed, understanding that Bowser was causing trouble in the kingdom once again. "Ok. But hurry back. I want to see Flower Fields soon."
"We'll be sure to let you know." Twilight approached the door, looking around the arch curiously. "So, I guess we just open the door and walk through, right?"
Using her magic on the door handle, the alicorn opened it up. There was nothing but a white light on the other side, almost like a tunnel. With their only way into Flower Fields on foot, the group made their way inside and followed the path, the door closing behind them and spun around as the magical door transported them.