Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Paper Mario: Interlude After Chapter 1

In the castle, Peach paces, wondering about Mario. Twink provides encouragement, saying Mario's probably saving some Star Spirits now. Peach wants to leave her room, but there are guards right outside her door and jumping out of the window isn't an option. She remembers the Minister telling her of a secret passage out of her room, so she starts to look for it. Check out her dresses and she'll tell Twink that they're all slightly different and very fashionable. If you check out the cosmetics, she'll powder her nose. She doesn't want Twink looking at the picture of Mario for some reason.

Check out the fireplace. For some reason, Twink finds the warm fireplace to be suspicious. Check out the picture to the right of the fireplace and Peach will find a switch behind it. Hit the switch and the fire goes out and the grate falls, revealing a passage through the fireplace. It leads to a dark hallway. Walk to the left and you'll find a wall with a switch. Hit the switch to make the wall rotate into the next room.

The door leading out of the room is locked. On a table to the left is an open book. It's a private diary. Twink asks Peach if she will read it. She starts reading it. The first entry says the owner of the diary went to Star Haven, stole the Star Rod, and captured the Star Spirits. The second entry says they used their castle to lift Peach's Castle in the sky, beat up Mario, and kidnapped Peach. They hope Peach likes them. It becomes obvious to Peach and Twink that this is Bowser's diary. Peach has a choice to either stop reading or to continue. If she continues reading, she'll find the third entry says that the Koopa Bros. were defeated by Mario and the Star Spirit they held was freed. But there is no way that Mario can save the Star Spirit in Dry Dry Ruins because he'd have to solve the mystery of the sand and find the ruins in Dry Dry Desert. Mario wouldn't know to go there to look for a Star Spirit. Twink says he'll go inform Mario.

Bowser walks in, worried about leaving his secret diary out in the open. He'd be embarrassed if anyone read it. He sees Peach, figures out that she read it, and freaks out. He has the guards take her to her room.

Outside Koopa Bros. Fortress,  Eldstar, the Star Spirit Mario saved, is talking to Mario. He's thankful for being saved and believes Mario can save the other Star Spirits. Now that he has been freed, the seal on his power has been broken and he will slowly recover it. He powers up Mario, giving him the ability to use the Star Spirits' power in battle. Mario will need Star Energy to use these powers. Star Energy appears as a gauge under HP. If there is a Star filled up at the end of the bar, he has that many units of Star Energy to use. His first Star Power is Refresh, which heals 5 HP and 5 FP. When it's Mario's turn, a bit of Star Energy is restored. Using Focus during battle restores a greater amount of Star Energy. Mario can also fully replenish Star Energy by staying at a Toad House. Eldstar tells Mario he must save the other Star Spirits quickly so they can give him the Star Beam, an attack that counters the Star Rod. Eldstar will go to Star Haven for now, but is always watching over Mario and his friends. It's time to leave the fortress.

Have Bombette blow up the cracked wall blocking access to a pipe. The pipe will take you onto the roof of a structure. There's a chest here with the FP Plus badge. Drop down and go west. Back in Koopa Village, Koopa Koot wants Mario to retrieve a tape from Goompa. Once you give the tape to him, he'll give you one coin. Head west to Toad Town, but stay healed. At the edge of Toad Town, Jr. Troopa appears, then falls into the water. He's back and asks if Mario remembers him. He's confident he'll beat Mario. He has 15 HP and will give 20 SP when defeated. He'll hide in his shell to increase his defense. Use the hammer, Shell Toss, or Body Slam to do damage. Once you defeat him, go into Toad Town.

Once in Toad Town, Twink finds Mario, saying he heard that Mario saved a Star Spirit and that Bowser's angry about it. He says there's a Star Spirit held in the Dry Dry Ruins in the Dry Dry Desert. He'll send more news once he and Peach get more information.

In Toad Town, you can reach more places. The badge shop is now open and Mario can head to the southern part of the town. Here, you'll find the train station and the port. There's a pink Bub-ulb, who'll give Mario the pink Magical Seed. You'll also find the pipe into the Toad Town Tunnels, the sewers that run under the town.

Inside the tunnels, you'll find Gloombas and Spiked Gloombas, dark Goombas with more health and more powerful attacks. They each have 7 HP and give 4 SP upon defeat. Go all the way to the east and a Blooper will appear. It has 30 HP and gives 20 SP upon defeat. It will drop down onto Mario or hit him with a blast of ink. It floats over the ground, so use jump attacks and Headbonk. Once you defeat it, you can access the chest with the Shrink Stomp.

Return to the surface and check out the Dojo. You'll initially fight Chan, a Buzzy Beetle with 15 HP. Flip him over with a jump to decrease his defense. Once you defeat Chan, you'll get the First-Degree Card from the Master. Heal and challenge Lee, the Duplighost. He'll imitate one of Mario's partners. He has 20 HP and you'll get the Second-Degree Card for defeating him.

Go east, then south to reach the train station. The train is the only way to reach Dry Dry Desert, but a boulder fell on the tracks when Peach's Castle was lifted into the air. Use Bombette to clear the path, then board the train.

When Mario enters Toad Town, Twink finds him, saying that he heard Mario saved a Star Spirit. Bowser's angry about it. He tells Mario that there's a Star Spirit in the Dry Dry Ruins in the Dry Dry Desert. Twink will send more news when he and Peach get more information.

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