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peanut-tyrug · 22 days ago

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Brothership Fanfic: Beyond the Mask

Only the one who bore Zokket’s mask knows the truth of what created such a being… all of what created him, and what brought upon the beginning of the end to Concordia.

~~~

WARNING: This contains MAJOR spoilers for Mario and Luigi: Brothership. If you haven’t beaten the game yet, I would suggest doing that first.

The characters and settings in this fic belong to Nintendo and Acquire Corp. I simply made this for fun.

It is my duty as a Wattanist to protect what makes this world whole. If not for me, our home, our Uni-Tree… it would all be put in jeopardy.

…But by my hands, the world has been split. So many Bonds have been broken… I simply cannot forgive myself…

…If only I didn’t stumble upon that egg…

I expected to be looking after the Great Lighthouses that afternoon. I was close to complete, over half way through my work that day, before I would head back to the Uni-Tree… but then I had stumbled upon it…

I hadn’t seen anything like it. An egg of some kind. A dark and foreboding aura emanated from it, making me feel as if I should turn back… but I didn’t.

I suddenly felt as if it was pulling me toward it, no matter how much I wished to move away. I tried to force my body back, but I kept moving forward, almost reaching my hand out toward the egg.

“Hehehehee!!” I heard the egg laugh cheekily. “Come on! Come here! You know you want to!”

Despite my meager attempts to resist this pull, I was just inches away from the egg… and I had suddenly blacked out.

I lost awareness for only but a moment… before suddenly regaining my consciousness. Everything around me was shaded in a deep red. I looked down at my trembling hands, dazed and confused.

…I tried to process what had happened to me… but I almost couldn’t remember, as if those memories were being forcefully plucked out from my mind and placed somewhere else… some place I could never recover them.

As these memories left me… I heard a voice call to me. Speak to me…

“Solitude is Sublime…” The voice said.

Solitude is Sublime…

Over and over, this phrase repeated like a broken record. As I heard it echo and bounce off the walls of my consciousness, I lost all focus.

I was hypnotized. Lost in a trance I could never escape from. The more I heard that damned phrase… the more prominent he became in my mind.

…The more I lost myself…

“FWA-HA-HA-HA!!!” He cackled. “…So easy to control… my favorite kind of toy! …What could I possibly name you? Cozette is too… friendly…”

This beast of a God spat out names that I could barely process in my hypnotized state. I could hear all of what he said about me as his new doll… but I simply couldn’t process it all.

“Ahh… I know!” Said the Beast with a small yet menacing chuckle. “…Zokket… Zokket!”

At that name, my head swung upward, as if hearing something call to me from the heavens… and before my eyes, he appeared…

…Reclusa…

The true embodiment of solitude, just about as old as the revered Great Conductor… and the Conductor’s complete opposite.

Reclusa wants nothing more than to have Concordia forever remain in complete solitude… and he will do anything to achieve such a world.

No matter what it may do to others.

Reclusa then spoke to me, his large smile and big eyes glaring down upon me… his tone stern and certain of what he wanted to do with me.

“Solitude is Sublime, my friend!” He said. “…Spread that message ALL through Concordia! Tear them all apart, and free me from my prison!”

He then disappeared just as quickly as a mask appeared before my dazed eyes. In my hypnotized state, I couldn’t help but listen to this God… and placed the mask upon my face.

A new set of clothes covered my Wattanist uniform… a cloak covered my body and a large top hat perched itself onto my head… by this point, Cozette was entirely gone.

No longer was I a protector of Concordia and the Bonds that lay under the Uni-Tree… I hated Bonds. I despised togetherness… all of what Reclusa would want in a puppet of his.

…I was Zokket…

—

The egg… it continues to speak to me.

It preaches more of its virtues unto my mind, as if it were a pastor. An entity I can’t help but be utterly enthralled by… his plans are immaculate.

Bring Concordia into a never ending state of solitude. There are no Bonds, no connections. Everyone is alone, and in their own little world… none of it is real.

A simulation made to separate them from what they don’t need. No one needs Bonds to live a good life. We don’t need friends or family.

“Why have connections, when you can live in peace all by yourself?” The egg would ask me. “In your own world, in the exact way you want it… isn’t that fun?”

I couldn’t understand why I had never pondered it before… but I cared not. All I cared about was listening to his virtues. And wishing to bring upon the world he wanted.

I will break this world, piece by piece, Bond by Bond… until the world is finally ready for his unveiling.

It is all Reclusa’s will.

The rebirth of Reclusa is imminent. Nothing stands in my way.

~~~

…Every person carries Glohm with them. Only a little. But if the Glohm is emphasized and made part of your entire psyche… it becomes extremely difficult to control, and makes one destructive… like I had become, due to Reclusa’s meddling.

Reclusa may have controlled me through converting my Glohm into energy… but all of my actions were still my doing. Despite Cozette being completely absent from my conscious at that time… even after Reclusa lost his control over me, I still recalled everything that I did.

I broke the continent. I destroyed the Uni-Tree. I brought upon the spread of Glohm. I broke so many Bonds… I caused people who aren’t even from Concordia to enter a world never seen by them… I put everyone in danger… I put her in danger…

…When I had first arrived on Shipshape, I had seen her… my student…

Connie…

Even if I was glad to see her, on the verge of crying tears of happiness and relief… I couldn’t help but want to sob out of horrible guilt.

Connie is but a child… so young, and I put her through all this trouble, this mental turmoil. My heart felt broken beyond repair. As she ran up to me, crying hard… I felt so glad, and yet so awful…

I soon collapsed to the ground from exhaustion, both mental and physical. I don’t know what happened after that… maybe not what happened on Shipshape, but in my mind.

…I know all too well…

I had fallen into an intensely deep sleep… I wasn’t certain if I’d wake up. At one point, however, I thought I had.

I truly thought I did.

I was met with a crowd of my people standing around me, all of their berating and bashing they directed towards me slamming into my ears and crashing onto my heart and mind like a pile of bricks.

“You’re a terrible excuse of a Wattanist!”

“How will we ever rebuild!? …It’s all because of you!”

Their words hurt me, and cut into me deep, deep into my very soul… but the one that hurt the most…

The berating suddenly stopped and was replaced with a soft whimper. I looked outward, and the crowd was gone… only she stood there.

“…Ms. Cozette…” Said Connie. “Why did you do it…?”

Connie’s face was covered in tears. She looked immensely tired and worn out. Her eyes appeared puffy, as if she had been crying for a prolonged period of time.

I could only blankly stare back at her, completely shaken… but felt as if I shouldn’t have been surprised.

I did this. I did this to her…

I deserved it.

“…Why did you do it…?” Connie asked again, a soft whimper escaping her.

I simply had no response. I didn’t know how to… and then she suddenly faded away, just like the crowd. I was completely alone.

I felt like I wanted to cry. Wallow in my own grief… before I had woken up…

~~~

“…Ngh…” I suddenly grunted awake.

“Ms. Cozette!” Connie exclaimed as I awoke.

I had awoken upon a small bed, confused and groggy. I had forgotten what had happened before collapsing for a moment… it all felt like a blur.

I turned my head slightly, and saw Connie looking up at me… along with the Mario Bros… a pair I once despised. Each of them appeared genuinely concerned for me.

“…Connie?” I asked, groggy. “Where… where am I?”

As I woke, I slowly remembered… I was on Shipshape. And I had reunited with my student.

…Whom I couldn’t help but feel hated me, in some way.

I then looked up… and my worries from my nightmare had temporarily withered away. What laid above me… I couldn’t be more proud of Connie.

“Oh! Look at this tree…” I said in awe. “It’s a Uni-Tree… Connie, you’ve done a wonderful job with it.”

I then began to speak of the Uni-Tree’s light and guidance as they traversed Concordia’s seas… I couldn’t be more grateful for the Mario Bros., or more proud of Connie.

…But this didn’t last long.

I was quickly reminded of what I caused while under Reclusa’s influence. I couldn’t help but lament over them and admit to what I did… Connie seemed to feel deeply sorry for me.

My mind simply couldn’t accept it.

As I relented and begin to spill Reclusa’s plan, the Mario Bros. were suddenly pulled away by another member of Shipshape’s crew… a young sailor boy… another young one I forced trouble on to.

The boy begged the brothers to come with him and he urgently began to explain the trouble… before an odd flower erupted from the ground behind him and latched itself onto the boy’s head like a leech.

The plant then lifted the boy off the ground, keeping him suspended in the air. The young navigator became unresponsive for a moment… before a gleeful set of digitized eyes appeared on the flower, and the boy began to speak.

He began to speak of his father, and wanting to learn about Ocean Maps… my stomach twisted as I heard the boy speak of something that wasn’t actually there.

I did this… I caused this…

Other flowers then began to sprout around Shipshape, clamping upon the heads of innocents all around the island ship. Making them all see things that weren’t real.

'An immersive experience where there’s nothing but fun!' Reclusa had called it.

I watched all that transpired, the Mario Bros. and their little piggy companion trying to understand what is happening. Connie and the other innocents on the ship panicking…

I couldn’t help but imagine where else these flowers were appearing, who else had they affected… so many Bonds were in jeopardy, and it was all because of me…

As I continued to relent in the horror around me, I heard a horribly familiar cackle above Shipshape…

“Oh, this is just delightful! Isn’t being bound to others such a pain?” Reclusa bellows, his voice endlessly echoing into the sky. “It’s better living in your own world and doing what you like all alone!”

He then began to ramble on about solitude, and how much better it is to be isolated from everyone else… one can only wonder why he’d want such a thing…

It’s all to watch the world burn.

He loves to watch worlds fall apart. He loves seeing people cluelessly die at his hands… all he is, and ever will be, is a sick and twisted individual. A truly malevolent being.

…As if I was much different… as Zokket…

“Ohhh, I just had an idea!” Reclusa blurts out. “The Mushroom Kingdom sounds like a fun world! Perhaps I’ll pay it a visit!”

I heard the Mario Bros. immediately become defensive, especially the older brother, Mario. I could easily tell they both deeply detested the idea of their home being taken over… and its people left to wither away.

He then went on to speaking of the tree that had replaced Fortress Zokket and now stood as the Center of Concordia… there was a barrier around it, no way of getting in.

Reclusa then disappeared in a flash, the sound of voice echoing out once again, followed by the eerie sound of static.

~~~

“So, then…” I began as the four spoke what we all witnessed. “Reclusa’s wasting no time…”

“We worked so hard to link all the islands!” Said Connie, a deep sorrow coating her voice.

My heart twisted at Connie’s sadness… this feeling worsened as she eventually questioned how Mario and Luigi were going to get past the barrier. None of them knew how…

Until I spoke.

“…The Power of Bonds…” I said, prompting the four before my bed to turn their heads toward me.

“What?” Connie questioned.

“If we envelope ourselves with the Power of Bonds… we can punch through the barrier.” I said weakly. I then turned to face the watering can that sat beside my bed. “That… watering can…”

Connie turned to the can, appearing uncertain. “What… your Bonding Can?”

“Connie… give me your hand.” I said, holding out my hand towards Connie.

Connie looked confused, but still grabbed onto my hand. I looked at her as genuinely as I could, sure of my words and what they meant.

“The Power of Bonds is the strength to resist isolation.” I say with a firm tone, despite my tiredness. “We will fill this can with it.”

“My Bond with my Ms. Cozette…” Connie said softly.

After a few moments, a bright light circles around my dear student and I, representing the pure and true Bond we shared.

Connie wasn’t just a student to me. She was the daughter I never knew I had… or needed. She has always found ways to impress me, and I could never be more proud of her.

…But… in the recesses of my mind, I couldn’t help but feel that she must’ve still been disappointed in me…

I tried not to let this feeling consume me as the Bond energy entered my Bonding Can and filled the small section at the center of the can’s pattern with its energy.

I then explained to the heroes and Connie that once the pattern is full, they should have enough Bond Power to reach Reclusa. They all understood and began to speak of who else they could go to for Bond Power… before another islander upon Shipshape stepped in.

He spoke of a Prince and Princess… Princess Burnadette of Skorcheen, and Prince Chilliam of Slippenglide. They were trying to save innocents from the flowers.

After the news had been relayed to them, the Mario Bros. and their little companion set off to their homelands to find them.

…As they all left, I had begun to fall back asleep. I could tell Connie was still at my side, looking up at me from where she stood.

“…Please get better, Ms. Cozette…” Connie said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

—

…Why did you do it…?

Each time I heard her say it… I just wanted it to stop.

I couldn’t take hearing her ask that question any longer… and yet, I told myself I deserved it. That I should just take it as it was.

I deserved it.

I then suddenly awoke, quickly rising slightly in my bed. I slowly laid my head back down and sighed… this guilt, this grief… I couldn’t take it anymore.

I turned my head slightly to look at the group of people at the center of Shipshape… the Mario Bros. and their friend had done a lot while I rested.

They had spoke of being almost done gathering Bonds… I was relieved. This nightmare could be put behind us.

…But that relief quickly disappeared… for I felt as if I was watching someone else do my work for me. These heroes, whom I had never truly had the opportunity to meet, were fixing the problems I had started.

It shouldn’t be them to fix this… it should be me.

I need to atone for what I did. I can’t stand idly by, laying in bed, as this world falls apart because of the continent I broke and the Bonds I severed.

The Bonds that all of them worked so hard to bring back together…

I just couldn’t do that to them… I can’t let them be severed again…

But before that… I wanted to see it again. What I used to tend to so carefully…

I was somewhat doubtful that I’d ever see it again.

I proceeded to turn to my side, grunting a little. I realized I was still injured… but I couldn’t rest. Not anymore. I turned further, allowing my feet to settle on the ground.

I leaped from the bed, prompting my feet to smack against the grass. I winced, but still tried to prop myself up and balance. I took a deep breath, and headed for the big cannon at Shipshape’s edge.

It was the only way to get to the Great Lighthouses. On the way up the hill to the cannon; I looked out beyond Shipshape, and spotted the deep violet sea of Gulchrock. One of the Bonds they needed was near here, I would imagine.

I could get where I needed to be without much hassle… thank goodness. No one would know… except, possibly Connie.

I didn’t care as long as I could get where I needed to be.

I headed to the cannon, and locked eyes with the Gulchrock Sea Great Lighthouse through the its spyglass. The cannon then suddenly propelled me backward and shoved me inside it… is this what the brothers felt like every time they used this cannon?

I was compacted tightly inside the cannon, there was absolutely no room to move. I was then shot out of the cannon just as quickly as I was shoved inside. I propelled through the air, barely able to process what had happened.

The Gulchrock Lighthouse was approaching my sight at tremendous speeds. I wanted to try and land safely, but I didn’t.

I landed on the ground with a hard and mighty thud. I bounced and rolled as I came to a stop just before the stairs that led up to the Lighthouse’s entrance. I was surprised that I was still conscious.

After I attempted a few calming breaths, I slowly rose to my feet. My landing didn’t help the discomfort I was already in before. I almost fell back down to floor, grabbing my arm. Despite my pain, I trudged forward.

I slowly stumbled up the stairs, being careful not to lose my balance. I approached the Lighthouse’s entrance, and went inside.

…Nothing but a cold wind met with me. Before now, this Lighthouse was so noisy, bustling with workers gathering Glohm, and Zok Troops patrolling around… and before that, the Lighthouse was a serene, calming place to be.

Only now, with Reclusa’s World on the horizon, everything here felt… dead. As if every ounce of Connectar that flowed through it had been drained.

…I wonder who did that…

I stepped on the elevator, and began to lift upstairs. Up to the Top Floor of the Lighthouse. The higher I went, the more cold and dead the Lighthouse felt.

As I reached the top, I recalled how it used to be checking on the Lighthouses… a warm breeze gently blew with the scent of sea salt. But here…

There was nothing.

Just as much nothing as there was downstairs.

I felt a chill go down my spine as I walked off the elevator. I felt as if I was standing in Slippenglide, it was so cold… the rain didn’t assist in the temperature either. I stepped to the Lighthouse’s bloom, and it too felt extremely cold, even without touching it.

The dark red sky didn’t help either. It only emphasized my feelings in the moment.

Guilt.

I had tended to this Lighthouse, and all the others, before I had become Zokket… my heart sunk as I stared upon my failure…

Being here only reminded me of what I had become, and what it made me feel… and what it made me understand.

I had to fix this mess myself.

I almost didn’t care if I died trying…

As I stood in solitude, I heard someone speak from behind me. I jumped, and turned back… only to see a familiar red and green pair.

“Mario, Luigi— why are you here?” I asked, perplexed.

Mario then explains their presence to me…

…Oh…

“Ah, Connie. Of course.” I said, not too surprised. I took a deep breath before diving further into my purpose here, feeling they wanted to know. “…This is where it happened. Where I… became Zokket.”

I left out no detail. I spilled everything to the brothers. All of my guilt. All of my shame. No stone was left unturned.

I told them what I wanted to do… how I would atone…

“I’m going to face Reclusa.” I said, knowing what I must do.

Immediately after I finished my words, the brothers tried to suggest they come with me… but…

“…And you cannot come with me.” I said. “I don’t know if Reclusa still has some control over me. But if my presence can make a difference… if I can weaken Reclusa, it will be worth it.”

I then turned up to face the Lighthouse, the Bros. doing the same shortly after me… I simply couldn’t emphasize how much I had once enjoyed tending to it.

…But that doesn’t mean I didn’t fail to treat it, and be there to take care of it. I simply felt too ashamed to not bring it up. To further remind myself of my mistakes…

“…Take care of the Uni-Tree for me. And make sure the Great Lighthouses light every part of this world.” I said, my tone bitter. “You’ll have to be the Wattanist in my place.”

…After all, why not? The brothers and their friend did much more than I did.

They didn’t fail, like I did… why should I even call myself a Wattanist anymore?

I further lamented on my grief… I simply couldn’t help it anymore. I was simply rambling now… but in the mist of my self-grievances… a light shone through.

“…Concordia was separated, but even then, the islands WANTED to be together again. Through the work of Connie and the island residents…” I said, grateful for what they had done. “…And also that tree…”

Despite everything, the Bonds of not just the islands, but others both within and outside of Concordia brought everyone and everything together.

I couldn’t let that go to waste again.

“I’m going to put an end to all this…” I said, certain of what my fate was.

The brothers then tried to talk me out of it… saying it was a suicide mission to go alone…

“Please don’t say anything to Connie about this. I don’t want to make her worry unnecessarily.” I said… almost upset to not want Connie to know the truth, or where I was, or what I was going to do.

I had put enough stress on her already.

I immediately walked away, wanting to head back downstairs and get away from the brothers, who tried to follow me down. After a few steps, they stopped, leaving me alone.

…I was glad. I didn’t want them to go with me. This job is mine, and mine alone… although, I began to wonder…

There was no way to get into Reclusa’s fortress without Bond Power… if the brothers had stopped their search for Bonds to find me, which I presume they must’ve… then the barrier wouldn’t have been broken yet.

As I pondered this thought and headed back down to the bottom floor… I heard a cackle echo through the wind. A sound that seemed to be meant for my ears alone.

“FWA-HA-HA-HAAA!!!” I heard Reclusa cackle from seemingly nowhere. “You want to face me so bad? Why don’t I just bring you to my keep myself?”

I was then suddenly encased in a dark red orb… the same ball of Glohm I used to get around as Zokket. I feared that Reclusa may still have control over me… that this was my doing.

…That I was becoming him again…

But the orb quickly disappeared… and I was met with an awful, gut wrenching sight.

Reclusa had morphed Fortress Zokket into his own, more twisted iteration. Living plants exhaling Glohm gas lined the area I stood in. The gas made me nauseous, despite how far away from it I seemed to be.

“Welcome to the Soli-Tree!” Reclusa announces. “I hope you enjoy your stay! Since you’ll be here for a looooooong time!”

…He hadn’t changed at all. Still a sick, twisted creature. A creature bent on bringing civilizations to ruin through genocide… all for a good laugh.

“Awwww, don’t be so bitter!” Said Reclusa in a nonchalant and playful tone. “You get to take me down! I’ll go easy on you!”

He could read my mind, I was now certain. He knew how disgusted I was by him. How appalled I was at how he acted… it made me want to face him more.

I wanted to enter… but I stopped in my tracks for a moment.

“…Awwwwww, don’t tell me you’re scared, Cozzy!” Said Reclusa. “I didn’t bring you all the way here just so that you could stand there! Come on in!”

He was right …I was afraid.

A part of me hesitated to go inside… something in me made me stop… but I knew I couldn’t just leave. This was my duty. I had to fulfill it. No matter what Reclusa would do to toy with me.

The entrance to Soli-Tree swung open, allowing myself entrance into Reclusa’s fortress. I took a deep breath, and ran inside, swallowing my fears.

“…I’ll be waiting… FWA-HA-HA-HAAA!!!” Reclusa said coldly.

—

I feel like I’m going to lose my mind.

It isn’t the hardest task to get through the Soli-Tree. Its layout still remains the same as Fortress Zokket… I hate that I remember the layout of this place…

That’s not why I feel my sanity slipping, however… I don’t know where, but there are speakers lodged in the walls of the Soli-Tree. Distorted circus music plays from these speakers, droning in and out of tune.

The sound would drive one mad… it’s already doing so to me. I just want to find Reclusa, wherever he’s hiding, and face him.

Another odd thing I had noticed was that there weren’t of any his henchmen around… or what used to be mine. The halls were barren of troops, only flowers and vines that lined the walls and floor.

After walking slightly further, a peculiar room had come upon me. A circular room with several doors branching into other rooms. In the middle of it all were keys, all locked into their positions in the floor… and an elevator.

I gasped at the sight of the elevator. I rushed to it, and stood upon it. After taking my stop upon the mechanic mover, it started to descend.

The demented music was replaced with eerie silence… it’s better than the music, at least.

The elevator clattered to the floor with a loud and mechanical bang. After it stopped, I took in the area in front of me… it was a long hallway that lead to an exit at its far end. That’s all it was, with a few circular platforms wedged in.

I stepped forward into the hallway, and stopped at a platform. The more I looked at it, the more it resembled an arena of sorts. It made my stomach turn a bit.

“…Reclusa?” I called. “Reclusa!!”

“What!? What is it!? …Oh, forgive me for the cold entrance, Cozzy!” Said Reclusa as a hologram, still trying to be playful. “My troops have kept calling me for things all day… it gets annoying.”

“Stop with your games!” I exclaimed, finally through with his antics. “You brought me here to face you, as such is my motive!”

Reclusa goes quiet for a second, before a small giggle escapes him. “…Ah, if you want to play like that… let’s play! FWA-HA-HA-HAAA!!!” His hologram then disappeared, his laugh bouncing off the walls.

Then, out of the blue, a humongous fleet of Reclusa’s minions and Zok Troops fall from the sky above… it was huge, it seemed infinite…

…There was no way… but I can’t leave…

Before I could ever try to throw any kind of hit, I am immediately hit by an enemy up front, a small hovering television screen…?

I am given no chance to attack from there… I keep getting hit. Whether it was my metal piercing my skin, rings of electricity shocking and bruising me… I couldn’t do a thing. They wouldn’t stop.

After a long while, the minions eventually stopped and retreated to the sky… leaving me barely conscious. I felt like I could barely breathe. My skin burned and ears rang. I was motionless as I saw the real, true Reclusa finally descend above me.

“…R-Reclusa…” I stammered. “…Coward…” I tried to say before a rough cough left me.

A sickening chortle escaped Reclusa’s televised teeth as he looked down upon me. “Awwww, look at you. You look like a sick dog!” He snaps. “…And you haven’t even seen the worst of your pummeling!”

He then raised up an arm, and in his palm, a fire ball appeared. He thrusted it down to the ground, and I had no time to escape it. There was no part of my body that wasn’t temporarily engulfed in flames. I shrieked, but it wasn’t like Reclusa would listen…

He threw another ball, a sphere of ice. My body went from blazing hot to freezing cold, as if I had switched between the hot and cold borders of Heatfreeze.

He did this repeatedly for what felt like forever. Then, he took an unexpected turn… I should’ve expected this from such an unpredictable being.

He threw an orb of pure dark energy at me. As it hit me, I felt extremely cold… I hated it.

It reminded me of him… how cold, how sinister, how evil I used to feel. He was taunting me with this attack, I was certain… but I could barely muster a single word.

“…S…Stop…” I stammered, incredibly weak.

To my surprise, he seemed to be done with his attacks. I could just barely see the proud and smug look on his face… it sickened me.

“Ahh, it felt nice to get that out of my system!” Said Reclusa. “…Again, annoying minions are bad minions…”

I then saw him look down at me, that same large smile plastered on his screen. “You’ve been a fun toy to play with, you know that, Cozzy?” He said. “Not only did I brainwash you, I just beat you to a pulp! You couldn’t do a thing! It’s always fun to have complete control over what you play with!”

…I wanted him to stop talking. All he was doing was taunting me. He was flaunting his victory, rubbing it in… all to make me feel worse.

…I hate to admit it had worked.

I had lost. I was lying on the floor, my life hanging by a thread… all of what I wanted to fix, keep safe…

All of what I wanted to atone for, all of the Bonds I wanted to protect… all of what I did and thought to get myself here was for naught.

“…And maybe after all you did…” Reclusa begins, taking a long pause as he inches his face closer to mine. “You deserve it… FWA-HA-HA-HAAA!!!”

As Reclusa disappeared in a sudden, sharp hum of static… I couldn’t help but be absolutely heartbroken.

I was dying. I had beaten down to absolutely nothing. I was never able to mend what I had broken. Only these small-eyed screens staring back at me and my failures… his eyes…

Maybe… If I hadn’t gone alone…

…Why did I come here alone…?

…Why did I do this at all…?

I need someone… anyone…

To help me…

…Help…

~~~

…

…!?

“My mentor!”

The faint and hazy sound of Connie’s voice immediately woke me from my mental absence. I had been awake, but… my mind had drifted. I was in so much pain, so unfathomably numb…

If I had closed my eyes… If I had succumbed…

I needed help.

“Ugh…” I tried to say something, but I couldn’t…

“Please! Hang in there!” I barely heard Connie beg.

“…Con…nie…” I barely managed to say.

“Oh!” Connie exclaimed, relieved that I was okay… but I could tell she was still in a panic.

“…I… I… have… made… a mistake… uuugh…” I stammered, barely able to make sentences by this point. “I tried to stop Reclusa on my own, but… forgive… me…”

“…Oh, no…” Connie said, sounding horrified… I felt horrible making worry for me even more than she already had… “…Mario… my mentor… I need to…”

Mario then says she’s fine, and lets her stay with me… I was somewhat thankful, but also horrified… If I died, Connie…

She’d see my end…

“Mario! Luigi!” Connie calls out as the brothers turn to leave. “…Please, be careful.”

“Oh, yeah!” Both the Bros. say in unison before turning away and headed out from the next part of the hallway.

The area Connie and I lay in became extremely quiet after that…

~~~

I had begun to lose track of time.

It had felt like hours since Connie and I had last seen the Bros… the Soli-Tree still stood tall, Reclusa had yet to be defeated…

Were they alright…?

As I laid there, Connie had watched over me. She helped me stayed awake when I would begin to slip, and kept me company… I was grateful for her help.

The silence was peaceful… but this peace was suddenly interrupted by a loud bang from outside.

Connie turned back toward the hallway ahead, appearing full of dread. I awoke at the sound of her panic.

“Mario! Luigi! I have to do something…” Said Connie. Despite her want to go to the brothers, she seemed hesitant… she wanted to stay with me.

“Go to them…” I said softly. “You’re a Wattanist… your hope… connects people…”

“Ms. Cozette…” Said Connie… she didn’t want to leave me here.

It was here when an epiphany struck me… my thoughts were clear.

…Oh, Connie… how I had been so wrong… these nightmares plagued my mind, made me think I was hated by everyone… by you, of all people… you could never hate anyone, I’ve known you long enough to know that.

These dreams made me think horrible, untruthful things. They made me lose my senses. My guilt made me spiral… what I had done to end this nightmare... I could’ve perished… if not for your help.

…I truly wished I could’ve said all of this to you… but my weakness had restricted me…

All I could do to show her I was certain she could leave… was give as warm of a smile I could possibly muster with what little strength I had left.

She looked back at me with confidence and nodded, certain of what her task was. She turned away and took my Bonding Can that sat nearby, and walked away.

I watched as she trudged further into the hallway… my smile couldn’t help but grow wider.

“You’re going to make… a splendid Wattanist.” I said quietly… I cannot emphasize how amazed I was by her. How far she had come…

…But my amazement dwindled as a poisonous Glohm smog filled the room… and I had fallen completely unconscious…

~~~

“…!!”

“…oz…!”

“Ms. …ette!”

“Ms. Cozette!!”

I gasped at the sudden sound of Connie’s panicked voice. My eyes shot open, and I turned to look at her.

“…C-Connie…?” I asked. “…Reclusa… I-is he…?”

I then spotted Mario and Luigi were standing behind Connie… my suspicions were confirmed here. Reclusa was no more… I would’ve felt relieved if not for the loud crashing noises from outside…

“Ms. Cozette! The Soli-Tree!!” Connie exclaims. “It’s collapsing!!”

I gasped again, fear crossing my features. “…W-we have to… g-get out of—!” I tried to get up… but I had forgotten about how much pain I was in. I winced, and fell back down to my knees.

The others stood at my side, trying to slowly help me up. I eventually found my footing, and Luigi helped propel me forward with the others as we made our escape.

No matter how far we’d run, the sounds of the Soli-Tree’s fall were clear as day. It took ages for us to finally find our way out… but there wasn’t any way for us to escape without jumping from the Soli-Tree and descending down toward the Stormstar Sea.

As we stood at the fortress’ edge, uncertain of how to proceed, the destruction from the Soli-Tree had tore up what used to be Fortress Zokket… and it was heading directly for us.

All we could was jump…

We all took a leap together, only for a destructive blast to occur from behind and separate the four of us. I had been flung the furthest, Connie was the closest to me. I heard Mario call out for Connie and grab her hand, then I grabbed Connie’s…

…Where was Luigi…?

“Mario!!” We all heard Luigi call out for his brother. He was trying his hardest to get to us, but was struggling immensely.

“Luigi!!” Mario called out back, reaching a hand out for his brother.

They both tried desperately to reach other, Luigi just barely slacking… before they finally caught one another. As their hands clasped, a bright glow emanated from them… the Power of Bonds…

Our fall immediately began to slow as we all connected hands, and a bright aura shone around us. As we descended upon Shipshape, I hadn’t even noticed that the red sky had cleared… a clear, bright blue sky had replaced Reclusa’s blood red heavens.

I had also noticed the crowd standing at Shipshape’s edge, all of them cheering for the brothers’ return, a few faces I recognized, but most I didn’t…

Despite this, I could feel just how strong their Bonds for each other all were… they were incredibly strong, and they had brought them all together. I couldn’t help but smile at this realization.

I was immediately met with greetings from the small crowd. All of them, especially a regal woman in pink, wanted to get to know me. It was a relief to see that none of them were upset with me.

…They all deeply cared for me… just like Connie and the brothers. To think I thought that they’d despise me… oh, how wrong I was. How blind I had been…

To them, I was not Zokket. Our motives are not the same. We may have shared a body… but I am not Zokket…

I am me.

I couldn’t help but smile… I felt like I could’ve cried right then.

~~~

Saying goodbye is hard… I haven’t had to do it in years, but it doesn’t matter how many times you do it. It’s always heart-wrenching.

Of course, saying goodbye to Mario and Luigi was no different.

I truly wish I got to know them better. I had barely spoken to them before I had ventured through the Soli-Tree… but what I did know was how powerful their Bond was.

So powerful that the Great Conductor saw them fit to save Concordia. So powerful, that their Bond brought other Bonds together… it filled me with joy.

After goodbyes were said, we all witnessed the rebirth of Concordia… a tear had been brought to my eye as we watched the islands drift closer to Shipshape and join together with it. Especially so as the Uni-Tree had been restored to its former glory.

Everyone celebrated the return of Concordia, conversing with each other after finally being able to meet up. My wish to see Concordia restored was finally fulfilled… to think I likely wouldn’t have seen it happen, if not for the brothers and Connie.

All of us then watched as the Great Conductor opened a gateway back to the brothers’ home. The Bros. and their friends all gave us a warm farewell as they lifted into the air and began to head home… some odd creatures and turtle king followed suit after them… I never learned who the giant turtle was…

The gateway then closed, and the Great Conductor parted from the Center of Concordia… a sudden silence had washed over all of us.

We all began to speak of the land’s time being separated, and how thankful we were for the brothers… and how much we’d miss them.

As I recalled my short time with them… I remembered my pledge. My promise I had shared with them.

'I pledge to guide the children who will shape our future.'

…I will never forget it. I will never forget them…

Thank you, Mario Bros… I couldn’t be more thankful. Especially to you, Connie. You helped me see the error of my ways… I’m so, very glad to you were willing to help keep me alive.

All of you have helped me regain my true sense of self… and I couldn’t be happier…

Thank you.

- END -

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peanut-tyrug · 2 days ago

Text

Brothership Fic: The Crooked Cord who stole Bonding Day

As Concordia prepares for its yearly tradition of Bonding Day, the continental residents discover that their offerings for the Great Conductor have all been stolen… and it’s up to the IDLE Crew of Desolatt to solve this conundrum.

—

A silly Christmas fic I conjured up and wanted to write for the holiday season… still contains Brothership spoilers though. Proceed with caution.

Characters/settings belong to Nintendo and Acquire Corp. I simply made this for fun.

No Concordian couldn’t be more excited, for the land’s holiday season was on the horizon.

Lights were hung from the homes within the many landscapes of the continent. Groups of kid friends played in the snow that had gathered, especially in Slippenglide. The people there always saw more visitors arrive during the holidays.

The Uni-Tree was most especially catered to. Lights were strung from the base of the tree as high as they could go. Various gifts were placed around the tree’s base, including whatever trinkets or snacks the people of Concordia were giving out.

Connie, a young Wattanist, watched over the Uni-Tree. Her job was to watch over the gifts as her mentor, Cozette, had instructed.

“How are the offerings, Connie?” Cozette asks as she approaches her student. “All present and accounted for?” She then giggles at her small unintentional pun.

“They’re all here, Ms. Cozette!” Connie said joyfully. “It’s all ready for Bonding Day!”

“Great work, Connie!” Says Cozette. “…It’s getting late. I’ll take you home. Come with me.”

Connie then steps beside Cozette, taking her hand as they walk away from the Uni-Tree. “…What do you think the Great Conductor’s blessing will be this year?” She asks.

Cozette chuckles a little. “I’m sure that whatever it is, it will be very special, Connie.” She said, a small smile plastered on her face.

…Every year, Concordia would give out offerings to the Great Conductor. The revered God would then bestow the continent with a grand blessing in return… only in just two days would the continent see the Great Conductor at the Center of Concordia once again for such a glorious moment.

…Little did they all know someone was out to ruin their holiday cheer…

—

The next morning before Bonding Day was springing with life. Many spoke of the upcoming holiday with vigor, excited to see the Great Conductor in all of his glory.

Seeing the God up and about was not so common, thus seeing him was always exciting. Wondering what his yearly blessing could be was even more so.

Every Concordian hoped that, with their offerings, his blessing will be spectacular… the better the offerings, the better the blessing, right?

No one believed that anything could ruin this festive day… but they quickly stood corrected as Connie suddenly announced some dreadful news to the public.

“The offerings!!” Connie exclaims, panicking through Concordia’s center. “They’re gone!”

At the sound of the young Wattanist’s horror, many erupted into a panic. The news got around surprisingly quickly, and soon, the entire Center of Concordia was filled with people from various villages and towns, all of them confused and concerned for the state of their holiday.

“Without our offerings, the Great Conductor won’t give us his blessing!” Says a worried female Concordian.

“Connie and Cozette will know what to do, right?” A male Concordian suggests.

Amongst the troubled worrying, Connie and Cozette appear at the base of the Uni-Tree. Connie stands off to the side, a horrible expression of worry on her face, while Cozette stands upfront to do the talking.

“Everyone! Please!” Cozette announces, waving her hands through the air. “Settle down! I am certain we can find a way to fix this before tomorrow morning!”

“Whoever that thief is… ohh, they are NEVER going to hear the end of it from me!” Willma, Rumbla’s chief, suddenly blurts out. Her children seem to agree.

“…Who would even try to steal offerings to the Great Conductor?” Burnadette, Skorcheen’s Princess, asks herself.

Her lover, Chilliam, seems to be just as confused. “…I-I don’t know, Burnadette… but I’m sure we’ll find them! Don’t worry!”

Burnadette seems to be immediately calmed by Chilliam’s words… she looks to him lovingly, Chilliam does the same back. “…Oh, my chillykins…” she says. A small chuckle then escapes Chilliam.

“Hm… whoever stole the offerings seems to have left no trace of themselves…” Says Technikki. “They may be quite hard to track down.”

“Not to worry!” A confident, peppy voice alerts from the crowd. Everyone turns to face the source of the noise.

Out from the massive group, four young children emerge… many had known this group for being able to only cause trouble, but maybe after their time with the Princess Peach and Starlow from Mario’s world… they’ve learned a lot from them, haven’t they?

The group of four stands before the crowd, each of them baring strong confidence in their eyes.

“We’ll take care of it!” The girl in pink upfront confirmed to Technikki.

“…I remember you… IDLE, correct?” Technikki asks.

“Allow us to introduce ourselves!” Says the petit little girl. “Ireen here!” Says Ireen, striking a pose.

“Dulles!” Says Dulles, a lanky pre-teen boy in green, as he strikes his own pose.

“Loog!” Says Loog, a young boy in blue, spreading his arms outward from his sides.

“Ellow!” Says Ellow, a stocky fellow in yellow, spreading his arms upward.

“That makes us…” Ireen proclaims as the four children line up, ready to strike their final pose.

“IDLE!!” The children all say in unison. Most seemed impressed, before the subject had quickly changed… there was a bigger conflict at hand, after all.

“…But can you handle that?” Cozette asks.

“You lot are quite young…” Says Willma.

“We’ve seen worse!” Ireen said confidently.

Cozette then recalls the time the continent had split… it seemed like it was decades ago, despite it only being three years since then… they had seen a lot, but that didn’t mean they were ready to face a thief.

“I’m not sure if you’re ready…” Says Cozette.

“If they can ride a rocket to break through a barrier, then they can face a thief.” Technikki said, taking a prideful stance.

“What? When—?” Cozette asked, immediately perplexed…. No one had ever told her that, not even Connie.

“Never mind that, Cozette.” Says Tecknikki. “I’ve seen what IDLE is capable of… let them do it.” She then gives the kids a soft smile.

Cozette seems conflicted… she knows Technikki, and trusts her word… but still, they’re children. She then feels a small tap on her arm. She turns, and sees Connie looking up at her.

“Ms. Cozette… they did a lot to help restore Concordia.” Says Connie. “Let them help… please?”

Connie was a face Cozette always had trouble saying no to, but she knew that she could trust Connie. Cozette sighed, and gave Connie a warm smile. She then turns to the IDLE kids.

“Alright, I’ll let you all help.” Says Cozette. “Just be sure to not cause any trouble.”

“And when you find the crook, bring 'em to me!” Says Willma. “I’ll be sure to tell them what for! Their ears’ll practically fall off!”

“You show 'em, Ma!” Billdit cheers, while his sister, Maykit, claps softly for her mother.

“It is settled, hm?” Tecknikki asks as she turns to the IDLE kids. “I am confident that our holiday traditions are in good hands.”

“We’re counting on you!” Says Connie.

“Yeah! We got a new mystery to solve!” Says Ireen, exited to help bring back Bonding Day. “C’mon, gang!”

The four then sped off to Desolatt, their homeland, with no hesitation. The crowd before the Uni-Tree watches them hurry off, hoping that their holiday is in good hands.

~~~

Ireen’s mother peacefully stands in her home, washing some dishes… as she worked though, she began to question her daughter’s whereabouts…

Last she’d heard from her was when she left with her friends to go practice their IDLE performances, but she had yet to return… where had the little rascal gone now?

Suddenly, a loud banging sound is heard on the front door. “Mooooom!” Ireen yells from outside. “I’m back! Let us in!”

“I’m coming, Ireen, I’m coming!” Says Ireen’s mother as she dries her hands and heads to the door. “And who’s this 'us'? Are you with your friends still?”

Ireen’s mother opens the door, and is immediately met with her daughter and her friends. They all looked as if they were in a hurry.

“What’s the rush?” The mother asks. “And where have you been all morning?”

“You haven’t heard?” Ireen asks, perplexed that her mother hadn’t heard a single inkling of the Bonding Day thievery. “The offerings under the Uni-Tree have been stolen!”

Ireen’s mother quickly goes into shock… her daughter was known to fib a little, but never about something so severe. “Oh! Oh, dear!” She says. “…I had no idea…”

“And IDLE’s gonna save Bonding Day!” Loog butts in.

“Ah, I see.” Says Ireen’s mother. “I get it… good luck to all of you. I’ve got your back, always.”

“Thanks, mom.” Ireen says softly. She and then other IDLE kids enter Ireen’s home, and follow her to her room. Ireen’s mother watches, happy that her daughter has such good friends.

~~~

“Okay!” Ireen exclaims out, standing up on her bed while her friends look up to her. “All we need to do is find the crook, and bring him to justice!”

“…But…” Dulles interrupts. “Where do we start?”

“There aren’t a lot of people in Concordia who steal…” Ellow iterates.

“…Then who would be a crook?” Dulles asks.

Everyone goes into a deep silence… Ellow was right, not many in Concordia showed themselves to be thieves…

“…Wait!” Loog exclaims. “What about those goons? What was their group name again?”

“What… Comprehension Corps?” Dulles asks.

“No, not that… Hypotension Corps?” Loog asks back.

“…The Extension Corps, right?” Ellow asks the others.

“Yeah! The Extension Corps!” Ireen exclaims, confidently pointing to Ellow.

“Why them, though?” Dulles asks. “Aren’t they doing good now?”

“Heard they were working at Club Dyode…” Loog pointed out.

“You never know, guys!” Says Ireen. “…It could’ve been some ruse! They could’ve been lying right under Mario and Luigi’s noses!”

“…They kinda do seem like the kind to lie…” Says Ellow.

“Exactly!” Says Loog. “…And who’s to say they didn’t?”

“That’s the spirit!” Says Ireen. “Let’s go see them and find out! They live in Slippenglide, right?” She asks.

“…Yeah…” Says Ellow. “One of the members has a lab there. It was a up a hill.”

“Oh, yeah… the lab…” Loog says with a tinge of dread.

“…I get you’re scared, Loog, but we gotta go!” Says Ireen. “Bonding Day is in danger!”

“…Yeah! Let’s go!” Says Loog, now invigorated and ready to head out to Slippenglide, bearing a determined smile.

“C’mon gang!” Says Ireen as she jumps from her bed, Ellow and Loog following close behind. Dulles then sighs as he realizes what they’re doing.

“…Oh, we gotta walk there…” Says Dulles, any ounce of excitement he had now gone.

“Slippenglide isn’t too far from here!” Says Ireen. “It’s in the next sea after ours!”

“Yeah… but that’s still so far…” Says Dulles.

“You’ll live.” Says Loog.

“…Come on, guys!” Ireen announces. “We’ve got crooks to catch!”

The four rush out of Ireen’s room and say goodbye to her mother as they passed… before they all explained where they were going to her. She then prepared little lunches for them and gave them all winter gear… Ireen’s mother was sweet like that.

IDLE then hurried to Slippenglide… with Dulles barely following behind.

~~~

It had been a long trip, much longer than Ireen had anticipated. Concordia is a vast, grand world… it should’ve been anticipated, really.

As they approach Slippenglide’s center, they can hear Prince Chilliam and Princess Burnadette speaking to one another…

“…I think it’s good to take our minds off the stress of the holiday trouble, hm?” Chilliam asks his lover. “As long as you’re here with me, I’m okay.”

“I just hope those kids can find who stole the offerings and bring them all back.” Burnadette says with a small, nervous chuckle.

As the IDLE kids came rushing toward the land’s center, the two royals spot them.

“Oh! IDLE, right?” Prince Chilliam asks. “Those kids who volunteered to help save Bonding Day?”

Yep! That’s us!” Says Ireen, stopping in her tracks, the other members following suit. “We’re here to interrogate the Extension Corps!”

“Ah, I see…” Says Chilliam. “They’re suspects?”

“Yes they are!” Says Ireen. “We’re certain that they’re the ones behind the holiday thievery!”

“Ahh… you’re making good progress!” Says Burnadette. “Good luck!”

“Thanks!” Says Ireen. “Come on, guys!” The four then hurry away, Chilliam and Burnadette watching them as they hurry off.

“They seem nice.” Says Chilliam.

“And very courageous, passionate...” Says Burnadette.

“…Oh, like you?” Chilliam asks, swooning his lover.

“Oh! You stop it!” Says Burnadette, chuckling.

“It’s true!” Says Chilliam, pecking Burnadette on the cheek.

…Regardless of the situation, their love always shines through.

—

It didn’t take too long for everyone to go uphill. Ireen had taken the lead with Loog following behind. Dulles was the farthest away, tired of walking. Ellow was just in front of him, helping him along.

As they all finally reach the top of the hill, Dulles is barely trailing behind. “…Are we… there yet?” He asks as he reaches the others.

“There is no way you are that tired.” Loog chastises.

“But I am…” Says Dulles, practically gasping for air.

“I’m shorter than you and got all the way up here without a hitch!” Says Loog.

“Quit yapping!” Ireen exclaims. She then turns toward the building in front of them.

“…Ohh, yeah… I forgot we were coming here for a sec…” Says Loog, that same tinge of dread from before coating his tone as he gazes upon Ten’s lab.

None of them couldn’t help but simply smell the narcissism that came off the place, for the lab had been built in Ten’s visage… whatever was in there was certainly the stolen offerings.

“We just go in, and get out.” Says Ireen. “It’s not that hard. Come on.”

The four then step up hill toward the lab’s entrance, but as they approach, they’re all suddenly halted… two small, round little creatures with long arms had blocked their path. The goons’ beady eyes and large smiles staring back at them.

“Ahh!” Dulles exclaims.

“…What’re those!?” Ellow asks, sight panic ringing in his voice.

“They all must’ve got little minions to help 'em!” Loog suggests to the others.

“…But what can we do it about it?” Dulles asks.

“We beat 'em up!” Says Ireen. “My mom didn’t raise a coward!”

Ireen, with no hesitation, lunges for the one of the goons. She attaches herself to its head and holds herself up as it tries to pry her off, scurrying around like a headless chicken.

The creature’s struggling causes it to run into an icy wall, immediately knocking it unconscious. Ireen lands on her bottom as the goon falls. She then gets up to her feet and stands over it.

“Hah!” Ireen bellows. “How’d you like them apples?”

As Ireen celebrates her victory, she hears the sound of collective screaming from the other IDLE members. She turns back, and spots the others cowering before the other little minion.

“Ireen!” Loog exclaimed. “We’re in a bit of a pickle over here!”

Ireen immediately rushes to other goon, and punches it square in the back, knocking it down to the floor. It was quickly dizzied as it fell, not daring to get back up.

The other IDLE members get to their feet and quickly back away from the minion, stepping to Ireen, each of them baring a terrified expression.

“…Ugh, that was awful…” Says Loog, sighing.

“Maybe you all could learn a thing or two from me about fighting.” Says Ireen. “…I still need to teach you all.”

Ellow then turns back to face the lab, spotting something hung up on the door frame. “…Hey, what’s that?” He asks. The others turn back as well, also spotting the note.

They all scurry to the door, and Dulles retrieves the small note. The others look up at it, perplexed.

“…'Out Fishing'?” Ireen questions. “Those dorks are out fishing?”

“Hey!” A raspy voice exclaims from behind the group. “What is the meaning of this!?”

The four look back, and are quickly caught off guard… the suspects they were looking for had returned home. All three of the Corps members looked appalled at the sight of IDLE. They also noticed how Shun was carrying some kind of makeshift cooler… they were, in fact, out fishing.

“What business do you have here?” Ten asks, sneering at the kids. “You’re trying to steal from us, aren’t you?”

“That’s what we should be asking you!” Says Ireen. “What have you done with the offerings under the Uni-Tree!?”

“Oh, how dare you accuse us of theft?” Ten questions, even more appalled than he already was at IDLE’s presence. “We haven’t laid a scratch on those!”

“All we’ve been doing is catching fish!” Says Ecks. “What’s so wrong about three humble men getting their weekly food supply?”

“…That doesn’t matter! Quit hiding it!” Says Loog. “Show us where you keep the offerings!”

“The only offerings we have are our own offerings hidden inside the lab!” Ecks retorts.

“Since you’re so defensive, show us!” Says Ireen. “Then maybe will believe you! Maybe!”

“Fine! Fine, we’ll show you!” Says Ecks, practically yelling at the children. He then hovers over toward the entrance with everyone else following suit… until they’re halted by a sudden shrill.

“AGHHHH!!” Ecks exclaims from inside. “What happened in here!?”

The others quickly rush inside and spot the mess that had occurred… papers were strewn everywhere. Desks and cabinets had been thrown to floor… and the painting of Ten had been ripped off the wall, revealing a hole in the wall, which had nothing inside it.

“Ahhh!!” Ten exclaims. “My painting!”

“THAT’S what you’re worried about!?” Ecks exclaims. “Our offerings are gone!”

“…At least we still got our fish. We can use some of those as our offerings.” Says Shun, before a minion from before grabs onto the cooler and snatches it out of his hand. The little minion then runs off with the stolen fish.

“Ohh, you just HAD to say something, didn’t you!?” Ecks chastises. “Not only are our offerings gone, so is our food! Great!”

“…W-what about my painting…?” Ten asks, tears forming in his eyes.

“NO ONE CARES ABOUT YOUR PAINTING!!!” Ecks exclaims.

As the three continue to bicker, the group of four reaches their first road block… the Extension Corps weren’t expecting this at all. All they wanted to do was just get food and come home… maybe they truly had turned over a new leaf…

“Alright, we get it!” Says Ireen, quickly causing the Extension Corps to silence themselves. “We were wrong, you didn’t steal the offerings. You’re in the clear.”

“…That’s something good, at least.” Says Ecks. “Can you lot leave now? I don’t think the man-child here wants anyone around.” He turns to Ten.

Ten was now on his knees, barely able to formulate words. “…My painting…” He sobs.

“…Sure, we’ll leave you to it.” Says Ireen. She then turns to others, appearing disappointed. “Come on.”

Ireen and the rest of the group awkwardly leave, leaving Ten to mope over the painting. As they leave, they can faintly hear Ecks bickering with the other Extension Corps members.

~~~

The IDLE Crew walks into Desolatt, now on their way back to Ireen’s home. They had no leads… they would if they knew who those little goons belonged to, but none of them knew.

All they could do now was regroup, and hope something new gives them a new lead…

“…I really thought we had it…” Says Ireen with a disappointed tone.

“I’m sure we’ll find a new lead soon, Ireen.” Says Ellow, trying to lift her spirits.

“But the sun’s past its peak.” Says Ireen. “What if we don’t have time to find the crook?”

“We will.” Says Ellow. “Give it time.”

Ireen puts her head down and quietly mutters. “…Okay…” before going silent again.

Silence engulfed the four of them, not sure of what to say or do that could possibly brighten the mood…

“…Hey! Little guys!?” A gruff voice calls from ahead. “Where’d you all go!?”

The four look up, and quickly spot the source of the call. A bulky figure stood not too far from them. He had long arms and big sack of rocks on his back… he almost looked familiar…

“Hey! Maybe he can help us!” Says Ireen. She then runs forward with the others following her.

“…Where’d they go…?” The guy asks, before IDLE approaches.

“Hey! What’re you doing here?” Ireen asks as she approaches the stranger.

The guy turns around and spots the four. He immediately clasps his hands together as if he were begging. “Please! Ya gotta help me!” He says. “My little guys are missing!”

“Your… little guys?” Ireen asks. “What do they look like?”

“Uh—! They’re round, and got long arms!” Says the guy. “You seen anything like 'em?”

The four are quickly overrun with shock… round little fellas with long arms…?

“Did they have big, wide grins?” Loog asks.

“Yeah!” Says the guy. “You’ve seen 'em somewhere?”

The four go silent and huddle together. They whisper, making sure the mystery guy can’t hear them. The big guy can’t help but wonder what could possibly be more important than his guys.

The four then turn back to face the guy, Ireen looking at him square in the eyes. “Sorry, what was your name?”

“…The name’s Gorumbla. Why?” Gorumbla asks, confused.

“We gotta check something real quick. We’ll be back with more word on your guys.” Says Ireen. “Wait here!”

The four then run off, leaving the saddened Gorumbla completely on his own… they had to tell Willma and Cozette.

~~~

Willma and Cozette stood before the Uni-Tree, discussing the holiday’s outcome… IDLE had yet to give either of them their intel on the crook, and the night was slowly approaching.

The sooner night were to arrive, the less time they had to find the stolen offerings by morning.

“I’m certain they’ve found a lead by now.” Says Cozette.

Willma nods. “A crook is always found, no matter how well they’ve covered their tracks!” She says. “You ever heard of forensic tests?”

“…I still can’t fathom that this happened at all…” Says Cozette.

“Well, thieves do bad things, Cozette.” Says Willma. “You gotta live with it.”

Cozette silently nods as she hears a voice calling out for her and Willma.

“Cozette! Willma!” Ireen exclaims as she and the rest of IDLE approaches.

“Oh! IDLE!” Cozette exclaims, relieved. “Have you found anything?”

“I think we’ve got a good lead!” Says Ireen.

“We were in Slippenglide looking for our first suspects right? We found minions of the crook!” Says Loog.

“…It honestly sucked…” Says Dulles. “The minions tried to attack us.”

“We thought the Extension Corps were the crooks, but they proved themselves to be innocent.” Ireen points out. “But we found the true crook!”

“Who is it?” Willma asks, putting her hands to her hips.

“A big guy named Gorumbla.” Says Ellow. “He was out looking for his 'little guys' and—!”

“WHAT!?” Willma exclaims, her voice practically shaking the Uni-Tree. “And I thought that boy had learned his lesson… lying to a family member, who does that!?”

The four IDLE members were taken aback… Gorumbla is part of Willma’s family…?

Among IDLE’s shock, Cozette wanted to tell Willma to relax… but she didn’t. She’d be deeply disgruntled and disappointed too if someone close to her did such a thing.

“Where is he? Show me where he is!” Says Willma. “I’m gonna talk his ears off!”

“We found him in Desolatt and told him to wait there!” Says Ireen. “He should still be there!”

“That’s a long way…” Says Cozette. “Are you sure you want to walk that far, Willma?”

“I may be old, but I can handle a good long walk.” Says Willma. “Take me to Gorumbla!”

“With pleasure, Willma!” Says Ireen. “Come on!”

The six of them head to Desolatt, IDLE leading the way. Willma was almost walking ahead of them, her pure and unbridled fury fueling her.

~~~

Gorumbla sat, waiting for the kids to return. He moped alone, wondering where his guys had went and why they seemed to completely absent… he had looked just about everywhere, but they were nowhere to be found, not even near his home…

“GORUMBLA!!!” A bellowing voice shrieked from afar and into the heavens. “You’ve got a lot of explaining to do, young man!”

Gorumbla seemed to immediately recognize the source of the shrill, he turned back and spotted the kids from before, but that wasn’t all. He spotted a lady in blue who he barely knew, and another lady in green…

“…Auntie…?” Gorumbla asks as the group of six approach. “What happened?”

“You know what you did, Gorumbla!” Says Willma, fuming. “Don’t you try and hide it!”

“Huh?” Gorumbla asks, taken aback. “I didn’t do anythin', Auntie! I swear!”

“Excuses!” Says Willma.

“We know you stole the offerings!” Says Ireen.

“I didn’t steal anythin'! I don’t steal anymore!” Says Gorumbla, now standing up to defend himself. “You gotta believe me, Auntie!”

“Then why did we spot your 'little guys' in Slippenglide?” Loog questions. “They stole the Extension Corps' offerings while they were out!”

“Huh? Slippenglide!?” Gorumbla asks in a panic. “That’s where they’ve all been? Why didn’t ya tell me that sooner?”

“Because you’re a crook, that’s why!” Says Ireen.

“Now, show us where you’ve kept those offerings!” Willma demands.

“I don’t know! I didn’t take 'em!” Says Gorumbla, voice breaking slightly.

“Quit lyin', you fibber!” Says Willma. “…They’re hidden at your house, aren’t they?”

“No! I don’t know where they are!” Says Gorumbla, now fallen to his knees.

“And yet you keep lying…” Says Willma. “I’ll take us to Rumbla, I know where his house is.”

“I’ll quickly grab Connie… we must make sure every offering is still there.” Says Cozette. “She had kept track of everything. I’m certain she will know if something is missing.”

“It’s settled then!” Says Willma. She then turns to IDLE and Gorumbla. “Come on, all of you.”

Willma leads everyone to Rumbla while Cozette leaves to find Connie. As they walk, Gorumbla appears deeply saddened…

~~~

Everyone stood by Gorumbla’s home, awaiting Cozette’s return with Connie. Willma’s children, Billdit and Maykit, stood off to the side. They had spotted their mother’s return, and suggested they come along, even if Willma didn’t fully want them to.

After a moment of complete silence, someone eventually approaches.

“I’m back! I have brought Connie!” Says Cozette, hurrying to the group with Connie in tow.

“We won’t be waiting any longer now.” Says Willma. “You do what you have to, Connie.”

Connie silently nods and steps up to Gorumbla’s small home and peeks inside… a small gasp is heard from her as she takes a look inside

“Just about every offering is in these bags!” Says Connie. “…Except any snacks…”

Everyone outside is taken aback… not only had Gorumbla stolen the offerings… had he been eating food that wasn’t meant for him?

“I can’t believe you!” Says Willma. “How could you stoop this low!?”

“I didn’t do it, Auntie!” Says Gorumbla. “That’s someone else’s problem, not me!”

“How can I believe you when the evidence is right here, in your home?” Willma asks.

“…You sure, Ma?” Billdit asks. “He sure doesn’t sound like he’s fibbing.”

“Mother… you may believe Gorumbla’s to blame,” Maykit begins. “But maybe this is all someone else’s game?”

“The evidence is right here!” Says Willma. “I’m not believing an ounce of his lies unless I’m proven wrong!”

Gorumbla immediately looks disgruntled, as if he could just run away and cry… and yet only Billdit and Maykit seemed to notice.

“We can just collect all of the bags and set the offerings up back at the Uni-Tree.” Says Cozette.

“But what about Gorumbla?” Ireen asks.

“I’ll need some time to think on that…” Says Willma. Gorumbla recoils at the thought of what his punishment could possibly be.

Ireen then puts her hands to her hips and looks to the other IDLE members. “Mystery solved, gang!” She says. “Bonding Day is saved!”

The four children cheer and pat themselves on the back. Cozette then chuckles a bit. “And it’s thanks to all of you.” She says. “All we need to do is get these offerings back under the Uni-Tree.”

IDLE and the two Wattanists then begin preparing to bring the offerings back to the Uni-Tree. As they begin to head out, Ireen turns her head… and spots something.

A figure was sitting among a small pile of unused boulders, their head peaking just over the small pile. Ireen could barely see the figure before it fled, its only apparent feature being the top of its head… a long ponytail?

…Ireen then couldn’t shake the feeling that a new part of this puzzle has begun to surface.

~~~

Back at the Uni-Tree, everyone sets their offerings back where they were. Connie and Cozette kept a close eye on everything, Connie especially. With the sun nearing the horizon, everything had to be ready.

As three of the four IDLE members set everything up, Ireen sneaks by Loog’s shoulder.

“Hey.” Ireen calls in a whisper. “Hey!”

“Huh? What’s it to you, Ireen?” Loog questions. “We gotta get the offerings ready! The sun’s about to set!”

“…I think we might’ve gotten the wrong guy.” Says Ireen.

“…What.” Says Loog, looking to Ireen like the most inane concoction of words had just escaped her vocal chords.

“We got the wrong guy, Loog!” Says Ireen.

“What’d she say?” Dulles asks, now peering toward the others.

“We got—!” Ireen tries to say, before Ellow peers toward the other three.

“Huh?” Ellow asks.

“We got, the wrong, guy!!” Says Ireen, fed up with others.

“What do you mean?” Loog asks. “Those fellas in Slippenglide were Gorumbla’s minions! The minions who were stealing the offerings! What do you mean we caught the wrong crook?”

“I saw someone in Rumbla stalking us from a pile of rubble,” Ireen begins. “And now I can’t help but think we missed something.”

“…You sure?” Loog asks, uncertain.

“I’m sure, sure, Loog.” Says Ireen. “We missed something… and I’m sure it had to do with the weird guy I spotted in Rumbla.”

The other IDLE members then question their judgement… maybe they were wrong. Ireen wouldn’t make up something this dire and unprecedented.

“But… how we will catch them?” Ellow asks.

“I can help you all catch that crook.” Says a voice from beside the four.

The four look to their right and spot Technikki, who took a proud stance before them. She then straightens and places her goggles back down.

“Really?” Ireen asks.

“Of course.” Says Technikki. “We worked together when the continent was split. You helped me with the Technikki Engine, I’ll help you back.”

“Whatever you got in mind, we’re sure it’s great!” Says Ireen. She then turns to the others. “Right, guys?”

“Yeah! Of course!” Loog exclaims, throwing a fist into the air.

“Yeah!” Dulles agrees. “Technikki makes the best stuff!”

“…I remember that engine…” Says Ellow. “It was so cool!”

A quiet chuckle escapes Technikki as she averts her gaze from IDLE. She looks back back up, a small yet bright smile crossing her lips.

“Thank you.” Technikki says softly. “Follow me to Merrygo, we’ll work everything out there.”

As everyone else prepares for Bonding Day morning, IDLE sneaks off with Technikki up front… they were fixing this mistake, one way or another.

~~~

The sun had set over Concordia, revealing a starlit sky above the continent. Despite Merrygo’s distance, the Uni-Tree still shone bright.

IDLE worked along with Technikki, who had already begun making blueprints and plans for what she wished to make alongside them… she was deemed a quick thinker by many, being up to par with another genius of Merrygo…

“I keep my equipment and such in their own drawers. You should be able to find everything, I made a list.” Says Technikki, handing a small piece of paper to Ireen. “Try not to misplace anything.”

Ireen takes a good, hard look at the list Technikki handed her. “…Fishing net, sensors… you got it!” She says. “Hey! Help me find what we need!” She hurries to the others, excited to help out.

Everyone finds what they need with ease. As they all placed the needed materials on Technikki’s work desk, she immediately began tinkering with it. She wasted no time in putting her work together.

It wasn’t long before Technikki’s invention was complete… a cannon-like contraption with a sensor connected to it by a few thin cords. Within the cannon laid the old fishnet.

“If they step on the panel, the net will shoot out from the cannon and encase them inside it, rendering them caught with this.” Says Tecknikki as she pulls out a fake offering wrapped in tissue paper.

“…Does it have a name yet?” Loog asks, a tint of curiosity in his tone.

Technikki lets out a small chuckle as she adjusts her goggles, a proud smile on her face. “The Technikki Trap.” She says. “I’m certain it’ll do us wonders.”

The five of them exit the workshop, standing behind it to where they’re barely visible. Technikki holds onto the trap as she turns to IDLE. “Which one of you would like to place down the bait and panel?”

“I do! I’ll do it!” Says Dulles, bringing a hand up… it’d be the least difficult thing he had done the entire day.

Technikki nods. “Place these at the end of the maze.” She instructs as she hands Dulles the fake offering and sensor panel. “It’ll be our crook’s 'little reward.'”

Dulles gives Technikki a sharp nod as he hurries over to maze’s end and gently places their bait down with the senor next to it. He hurries back, a wide and proud smile crossing his lips.

“The next step, once the crook steps on the panel, is shooting them with the net.” Says Technikki.

“I have good aim! I can do that!” Says Loog. “I’ve practiced with a dart board.”

“Ah, I see.” Says Technikki. “You’re perfect for this then. Once the panel is pressed, a buzzer will go off from inside the workshop. Once that buzzer goes off, you fire.”

Technikki steps inside her workshop for a moment and comes back out with the cannon, the net already loaded inside. She gently lets Loog hold onto it, and he quickly gets into position, already prepared to take his shot.

“Alright! I can do that!” Says Loog, determined to assist in catching the thief.

“Now we just have to wait… I’m 95% sure that our target is here with us.” Says Technikki as she creeps down onto one knee, as if trying to stay hidden.

“How do you know?” Ireen asks.

“A genius intuition, my friend.” Says Technikki. “Never second guess Technikki the genius!”

The five of them then wait for what felt like hours. While the kids are practically falling asleep, Technikki remains wide awake, her unseeable eyes looking outward into Merrygo, facing toward the maze.

After awhile, the buzzer eventually goes off. The kids jump in their spots while Technikki whips her head around to Loog.

“Fire!” Technikki demands in a whisper.

Loog wastes no time in aiming for the crook, who knew not of what was coming to him, and aims directly for the man and shoots.

The net flies at tremendous speeds toward the unsuspecting thief and wraps around his entire body, rendering him trapped as he falls to floor.

IDLE attempts to celebrate the capture amongst themselves, for Technikki quietly stops them… they couldn’t make too much noise. Technikki steps up with IDLE in tow, up to the man who sought to ruin their holiday.

“Hm.” Technikki hums, looking upon the man trapped in the net. Oddly enough, he wasn’t trying to escape, as if expecting that this was his fate. She then turns to Ireen. “Is this the man you saw?”

“Huh… I couldn’t make out everything about him, but I recognize that hair.” Says Ireen.

The man’s long and green hair stuck out upward, but that wasn’t his most defining feature. His long, bushy eyebrows made him stand out. He was also extremely lanky, taller than any Concordian had likely ever known.

The thief nods nonchalantly. “Yeah, yeah, okay.” He says. “You caught me. Oh, no, what ever wil I doooo?”

“…He’s so nonchalant. Ew.” Says Loog.

A small laugh escapes the crook’s lips, as if he enjoyed the displeasure he gave others. The others sneered at him, even Technikki, who curled her lips in distaste.

“…So nonchalant for someone who got caught…” Says Technikki, adjusting her goggles.

“Hah!” The crook bellowed. “…As if 'ol Hermit ain’t two steps ahead of you, genius?”

A disgruntled frown appears on Technikki’s face. How dare he insult her genius? But not only that… did he truly think ahead?

Technikki turns back to the others, who seemed just as disgruntled and confused as her. “All of you, head back to the Uni-Tree. I’ll take care of 'ol Hermit.” She says with a strong distasted tone.

Ireen whips her head back to the others. “Come on! We don’t have any time to waste!”

Ireen runs ahead with the others following close behind. As they all rush to the Uni-Tree, a sickening chortle escapes Hermit’s throat.

“…What are you laughing at?” Technikki asks, clearly already in an ugly mood.

Hermit didn’t seem to stop chuckling, which only upset Technikki further. His laugh was like nails on a chalkboard, a cat throwing up onto a carpet… it made her sick.

“I don’t know what made you think you do anything about any of this.” Says Hermit. “Your hope makes me sick.”

“And hearing your voice makes me sick.” Technikki puts out bluntly.

“…You wanna know why I did it, don’t you?” Hermit asks, a sickening smile slithering upon his lips… the smile reached past his eyes, and looked completely unnatural for a Concordian face.

A quiet sneer escapes Technikki. “As if I’d touch you with a thirty-nine and a half foot pole.” She says. “…But my curiosity beckons…”

“Take me outta this net, and bring me to the Uni-Tree.” Says Hermit. “That silly curiosity of yours won’t regret it.”

Technikki, in her distaste, lets out a small scoff. Hermit chuckles again at the sound, prompting her to go dead silent as she unwraps him out of the net. She recoils as she restrains him with her arm… had he bathed at all recently?

“You ain’t gotta hold onto me, darlin'.” Says Hermit. “I won’t do anything.”

Technikki shoved Hermit away, allowing him to stand on his own. The two then set out to Uni-Tree. Technikki would wash off and grab another set of clothes, but there simply wasn’t any time.

If anything was to happen at the Uni-Tree, she wanted to be there to stop it… if possible.

~~~

IDLE hurried to the Uni-Tree as quickly as they could. Ireen took the lead with Loog just behind her. Ellow and Dulles slacked a bit, Dulles being the furthest behind.

“Stop… running… so fast!” Dulles yells, out of breath.

“How about you run faster?” Loog questions back at him.

“Stop! We don’t have time for all that!” Says Ireen. “We gotta get to the—!”

As the four of them rushed into Concordia’s center, just before the Uni-Tree… they were met with utter turmoil.

More of Gorumbla’s little minions were scattering about, collecting any offering they could grab. Many Concordians were also around, trying to stop them, but to no avail.

IDLE watched the minions hurry to the edge of the center, and carelessly hurl the offerings into the sea.

All of them were completely taken aback… what did Hermit even gain by going through all this trouble for a single holiday?

Ireen then turns to the others. As if she were a drill sergeant, she stood straight up. “We gotta help save the offerings!” She says. “Loog, you come with me. Dulles and Ellow, you’re together! Let’s go!”

With no hesitation, Ireen runs ahead with Loog hesitatingly following behind. Dulles reaches out for them, desperate to understand what they could do.

“Ireen! Wait!” Dulles calls with a reached out hand, but to no avail. He sighs. “What’re we gonna do?”

Dulles then feels someone lay a hand on his shoulder. He turns back and sees Ellow, giving him a stern look.

“We do what we can, Dulles.” Says Ellow. “We can try and snatch the offerings from them while Ireen and Loog beat them up.”

Dulles seems hesitant, not wanting to go head first into minions he can’t directly fight… but quickly reconsiders his judgement and nods to his friend. He wasn’t going to let his cowardice get in the way of saving Bonding Day.

“…Okay… let’s do it!” Says Dulles, throwing a balled fist into the air.

The two quickly run off in the opposite direction of Ireen and Loog, who were already trying to take a handful of the minions out.

Ireen threw any attacks she could at them. Loog attempted as well, but kept messing up. Ireen had to regularly make sure he was up to speed, causing other minions to take advantage of that and gather more offerings to throw away.

Dulles and Ellow tried their hardest, but they weren’t getting much of anywhere. Despite his boost in morale, Dulles could barely lay an inch on any of the minions. Ellow was the same. They kept getting overpowered but the little beasts.

Over time, the odds of IDLE’s win seemed to lower. More offerings were lost to the ocean depths. Eventually, every offering that had just been placed back down was lost.

The little minions cheered with delight, as if they’d be getting some reward for their wrongdoing. IDLE and every other Concordian there sulked, saddened by their loss.

IDLE eventually regrouped, shoulders slouched and faces droopy. They all looked to each other, completely lost for words… before Ireen began to grumble, which slowly descended into a sharp grunt.

“Ugh!! Why did this have to happen!?” Ireen exclaims. “If it wasn’t for that stupid crook…”

“…Oh, dear…” Says an approaching voice. “I’m so sorry…”

IDLE turns and spots Cozette walking along with Connie and Willma. The Wattanists seemed deeply saddened, while Willma simply looked disgruntled.

“We all tried as best we could, but…” Cozette begins. “Oh, if only we had more help… or Willma.”

“If I had gotten here earlier, they would’ve been whacked off the face of the planet!” Says Willma. “Heck, I’d go through the seas if I had to! Those offerings would still be here if Gorumbla wasn’t holding me up.”

Connie stayed silent, not really wanting to speak. But at the name of Gorumbla, Ireen quickly stepped forward. “Gorumbla’s not the thief!”

The Wattanists and chief look up to IDLE in confusion, Willma being the most perplexed. “What do you mean? All of the evidence pointed to him, didn’t it?” Willma questioned.

“…It seemed that way, but he was framed!” Says Ireen. “And Technikki and all of us found out who truly did it!”

“…Who?” Cozette asked.

“IDLE!” Technikki exclaims from not too far behind. “I do not mean to interlude, but…”

Technikki steps up to the others, Hermit standing close next to her. The crook had but a disgustingly smug look on his face.

“Now who’s this young man?” Willma asks.

“His name is Hermit.” Says Technikki. “He’ll give us all the information we want… but do not fall for his 'flattery'. It’s sickening.”

Hermit sneers at the group of people before him. “You’re a grand little parade, aren’t you?” He asks.

“Oh, just cut to chase!” Says Ireen. “Why’d you steal the offerings?”

“And leave no detail out!” Loog points out.

“I’ll put it simply so you colorful bunch understand.” Says Hermit before he leans into the others. “…You think I like the holidays? You think I think they’re cute? No, I don’t think they’re cute. All the clatter about what offerings to get, all the cheer… it makes me sick.”

The others sneer at the man. Even Cozette and Connie, who bore mildly puzzled expressions. No one is able to say anything as Hermit continues to ramble.

“I’d rather be in complete silence within my home, but noooo.” Says Hermit, dramatically flicking his hands around. “I have to listen to you lot yap about it all constantly.”

The others want to retort before Hermit cuts them all off, waving a hand in front of them.

“If I get rid of the offerings, then there’s no cheer. And it couldn’t just be me who did all the work… those little fellas from Rumbla I stumbled upon are real easy to trick with food.” Says Hermit. “All of this scheming… for what is Bonding Day without offerings to give to the Great Conductor?” He says that last part in a gleeful tone.

“…If they’re no offerings to give…” Ireen explains, before going quiet.

“Then the good 'ol Great Conductor doesn’t give you any blessing!” Says Hermit, a wide grin on his face.

As Hermit finishes his ramble, the Wattanists appear confused… why?

“…What do you mean?” Cozette asks, perplexed by Hermit’s logic.

Hermit looks back at Cozette, just as perplexed as her. “You should know what I mean. You’re a Wattanist, ain’t you?” He asks. “You know all about this holiday! You don’t give to the Great Conductor, he doesn’t give back!”

“…No, that isn’t… that isn’t what that—!” Cozette tries to explain, before Ireen cuts her off, now pointing to Hermit.

“You’ve got some nerve to do all this!” Says Ireen. “And all because you hate holiday clatter?”

“I did explain that, yes?” Hermit asks, still smiling.

“You… you ruined Bonding Day!!” Ireen exclaims.

“…Ruined?” An unknown voice questions from nowhere.

Everyone turns around, looking for the voice, but no one was around… the voice had sounded like it had came from the Uni-Tree itself…

A bright golden glow then emanates from the behind the group. They all cover their eyes until the light finally clears… and before them, just in front of the Uni-Tree… he stood.

The Great Conductor. The overseer of Concordia, and all of its people. He hovered in the air before everyone that stood on the ground. Directly next to him was his assistant, and the Mario Bros. former partner, Snoutlet.

“T-the Great Conductor!” Says Cozette. “You’re a tad early…”

“I know, Cozette.” The Great Conductor says gently. “But I feel I needed to clear up some things…”

“We aren’t getting the blessing, are we?” Loog asks, disappointed.

“Why d’ya ask, Loog?” Snoutlet asks.

“Without any offerings…” Loog tries to explain, before Dulles interjects.

“We don’t get our blessing!” Says Dulles.

“We give to you, you give back to us, right?” Ellow asks.

“Hermit ruined Bonding Day!” Ireen exclaims, pointing to Hermit again.

“…I feel like some of you must know this…” Says the Great Conductor. “You think Bonding Day’s all about the offerings?”

Most of the crowd seems confused, even Hermit, oddly enough. The only ones who aren’t being Cozette and Connie. Cozette turns to the others, willing to explain.

“Bonding Day isn’t just about the offerings we give…” Cozette begins. A warm smile then appears on her face. “It’s about sharing the Bonds we have others.”

“…But— but why were you and Connie so quick to go after the offerings?” Ireen asks.

“…Even if it’s not all about the offerings, they are still important.” Says Connie. “They’re simply just gifts meant to give thanks to the Great Conductor.”

“But I don’t need them.” Says the Great Conductor. “Gifts are always nice… but what truly matters to me is the presence of Concordia’s people.”

“We care about the Bonds we share with ya!” Says Snoutlet. “You bein' here is already enough.”

“…Then… did we just go on this wild gift chase for nothing?” Loog asks, visibly disgruntled that he and the others time might’ve been wasted.

“No! No, of course not.” Says the Great Conductor.

“Even if the offerings are gone, we still appreciate you lot goin' outta your way for us!” Says Snoutlet. “All of ya did absolutely terrific!”

All of IDLE’s spirits seemed to be lifted at that. “…Did a deity just tell us we did terrific?” Dulles asks.

“…And on our first true case since the continent split!?” Ireen questions. “We rock!!”

IDLE then rejoices at their accomplishment, before Snoutlet approaches, appearing flattered. “You ain’t gotta call me a deity. Ya know me!” They say. “Just call me a friend, 'kay?”

All of them nod, still reeling from their accomplishment. “Sure! But we do still appreciate it though!” Says Ireen.

“No problem, pal!” Says Snoutlet. They then turn to face the Great Conductor. “…Y’know, Cozette did say we’re here kinda early… ya think that maybe…?”

The Great Conductor seems to ponder something no one else knew. He then looks back down to Snoutlet with knowing eyes.

“…Ah, why not? I’m already here.” Says the Great Conductor. He then turns to the crowd that had begun to form around the Uni-Tree…

“People of Concordia!” The Great Conductor announces, his voice booming. “I present unto you… my yearly blessing!”

The crowd erupts into cheers and cries of joy… the moment they had all waited for had finally come to pass… what no one had noticed was that Hermit had stepped away, completely isolated from the crowd.

The Great Conductor shuts his eyes, and a bright golden aura emanates around him. The aura spreads outward beyond the continents borders… so bright, you could see it from space.

Everyone looks away as the light spreads… until it eventually fades, and the crowd looks up in silence… as everyone looks upon what stood before them, they couldn’t help but be in absolute disbelief, gasping at what they saw…

“…M-Mario? Luigi?” Connie stammers, small tears forming in her eyes.

Before the Uni-Tree stood the two brothers, the saviors of Concordia. Along with the former members of IDLE, Princess Peach and Starlow. And off to the side was the old King of Offandon, Bowser, paired with his son.

The crowd before the Uni-Tree erupted into a colossal bunch of cheers. Connie then rushed over to the Bros., practically crying, as Mario hugged her back. Snoutlet also joined in, hovering right beside Luigi and immediately making their presence known.

Bowser’s son was soon met with his dear Concordian friend Buddy, along with a new friend of his, the sailor boy Arc. Bowser Jr. and Buddy were happy to reunite, despite Jr.’s doubts of Arc. After getting to know Arc, however… Junior made a new friend that day.

Bowser even joined the fray, getting to meet Arc’s father… a swell man, he is. The Koopa King and old sailor got along oddly well.

Eventually, Willma had left and returned with Gorumbla, who had been apologized to upon arrival. Even he got to meet the Bros.

…And IDLE couldn’t be happier to see their old members. It had been only about three years since they’d seen them last, but to the kids, it had been forever.

“Princess Peach! Starlow!” Says Ireen. “It’s been so long!”

“Long time no see!” Says Loog.

“We missed you!” Says Dulles.

“How’s the Mushroom Kingdom been?” Ellow asks.

“Oh! We’re so glad to see you as well!” Says Princess Peach. “Everything’s been fine back at home.”

“How’ve you all been?” Starlow asks. “Any more trouble popping up?”

“Oh, you should’ve seen what we’ve been thorough today!” Says Ireen.

The four couldn’t help but spill what had happened. All the trials, close calls, and triumphs… the Princess and Star Sprite couldn’t have been more proud of IDLE. All of them had improved so much since they had last met.

They had come so far… they would go far, Princess Peach and Starlow were certain.

The Great Conductor looked on, glad he was able to get the Mushroom Kingdom residents on board for this trip… he would’ve done this earlier, but he knew the Bros. may be busy… and he wasn’t charged up on power anyway. He had just enough power to bring them back for a time.

Regardless of the circumstances, he was glad… glad that IDLE wanted to come together to help. Thankful that everyone involved in catching the offerings was willing to lend a hand to the kids… everything that had transpired almost brought a tear to his eye.

…It was the greatest Bonding Day he had ever had the pleasure of experiencing.

~~~

Bonding Day had just passed. The Mario Bros. and their friends had just been sent home. The holiday season was coming to close.

Out of the entirety of Concordia, one place was the most silent among the dwindling holiday bustle… Conductor Croft, home of the Great Conductor.

Snoutlet hovered through the flowery fields, quietly patrolling it while the Great Conductor was away. As they looked about, they heard the rustling of a nearby bush.

“Huh?” Snoutlet yelps, turning to face the source of the sound. “Who’s there!? Don’t make me go ham on ya!”

As they look around, they spot no person… they move in closer, and spot a note… a note to Great Conductor…

“Huh…” Says Snoutlet. They turn around and try to call out… “Great Conductor!! Great Conductor!!”

After a moment that was a few seconds too long, the Great Conductor suddenly appears. “Hm? Yes, Snoutlet?”

“I found a letter!” Says Snoutlet. “It says it’s for you.” They then move out of the way, allowing to see the handwritten letter that lay on the ground.

“…Interesting…” Says the Great Conductor as he begins to read.

•••

Hello, Great Conductor.

You could say I’ve been… oh, naughty, this year. I’ve done some bad stuff, I ain’t gonna sugar coat it. I put these kids through some bad trouble, ticked off a bunch of people, especially this one dame from Merrygo… all because I just couldn’t stand holiday clatter.

I thought being rid of their offerings meant no more holiday cheer for me to have to hear… but I stood corrected last night… it pained me to say it before, but I think my heart’s grown a good bit.

You ain’t never needed any offerings. You only care about us being there for you… I can’t help but consider that quite bold. Daring, for someone like me who always wanted a gift but couldn’t have one. I could never wrap my head around the fact that those gifts were for you growing up.

I’ve grown a lot because of you. I wanted to thank you, and apologize for all the stuff I did… maybe soon I can get to everyone else I wronged and apologize to them too. Hope this’ll make it up to ya.

- Hermit

•••

The Great Conductor couldn’t help but lightly chuckle. “…How nice of him.” He says.

“You take his word for it?” Snoutlet asks.

“I believe I will… no wonder he had disappeared last night.” Says the Great Conductor. “He had an epiphany.”

“If you believe it, I believe it.” Says Snoutlet.

“Thank you!!” Yells a voice from the bushes…

The two look toward the bushes, but only see the faint and lanky silhouette of a man rushing away… they need not know who it was, for they already knew.

…The Great Conductor was glad he could help Hermit come around and embrace true holiday cheer. He’d be smiling right then… if he had a mouth.

- END -

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