Super Paper Mario -- Chapter 8-4: Tippi and Count Bleck

A frigid wind blew through the dim and draft corridors of Castle Bleck. Bowser, Peach... and even brave Luigi were gone. Mario was the only hero left. It was up to Mario to stop the dark prophecy. Every world hung in the balance. What thrilling conclusion awaited our hero? Mario ran to the count's inner sanctum, his mustache fluttering in the breeze...

Tippi says it's just her and Mario now, which reminds her of the time they first met. She apologizes, saying she promised to help Mario find his friends, who are now gone forever. Mario disagrees. Tippi thinks he may be right that they survived. They are heroes and she's going to believe in them, and HIM most of all.

In Castle Bleck's Inner Sanctum, you'll find Coptas, Poison Pokeys, and Cursyas. You'll also find some Mushrooms in item blocks. Go through the door and you'll find Magiblots and no way out. Use Tippi's power to find a hidden door. In this room, you'll find rising platforms, along with Parabuzzies and Spiky Parabuzzies. You'll come to a dead end. Flip to find a path around the tall platforms, then go through the door.

There are infinite platforms in this room. In the middle of the room, when you reach solid ground, flip to find a pipe. Flip and use Dottie to shrink to pass through a tiny hole in the wall. This leads to a chest with a key. Return to the infinite platforms to unlock the door. The door leads to a room with many Mega Muths, with 200 HP and 8 attack. Some of them are in 3D.

Go through the door and you'll find a hallway that dead-ends. Flip and you'll see several doorways to your right and left. These lead to different hallways, some with items and most with enemies. From the door, go right four times to find a chest with a Shooting Star. From the door, go left once to find a door.

From the door, take the first right to find a chest with a Super Shroom Shake. To reach the next door, from the door, go left three times. In the next set of hallways, take the first right, then the second right, then walk backwards to take the first right to find a chest with an Ultra Shroom Shake. Go through the first right to reach a door. The door leads to some stairs with an Ultra Shroom in an item block and a Save Block. When you're ready, go through the door.

Tippi feels something powerful on the other side of the door and she thinks it may be the Chaos Heart. Count Bleck and Nastasia are here. "Bleh heh heh heh heh... I see you've come at last! So you really are the hero of the Light Prognosticus. But you are far too late to stop the Dark Prognosticus and me... Count Bleck! All worlds will soon end. Come to grips with that now, for you cannot stop it. I suggest you make yourself comfortable and enjoy this one, final spectacle!" Tippi asks why he wants to destroy everything and how could he do this. "Count Bleck does not care about any world! They are all meaningless. Better that I destroy them! Better yet, I shall make it as if they never existed at all!" Tippi asks Blumiere if their meeting was meaningless as well. "You know the answer, dear Timpani... Count Bleck does not have to tell you... But the hour has grown too late. You should know that by now." Tippi knows the only want to stop this is to defeat him, which is why she and Mario are here. "BLEH HEH HEH HEH! BLECK! Very well! But I will also do what I must! Count Bleck is the deleter of worlds! My fate is written in the Dark Prognosticus. Do not think for a moment that I will hesistate to strike you down. ALL NOW ENDS! Leave me, Nastasia! I will deal with these two ALONE." Nastasia tries to object, but he says, "Count Bleck demands it! I will not say it again." Nastasia leaves and he continues, "Are you prepared, hero? Our duel will be worthy of the last clash the world will ever see!"

Count Bleck has 150 HP and 8 attack. He shoots out blasts of dark energy. He's also invincible, guarded by a shield of the Chaos Heart. "How laughable! Is that all the heroism you can muster? Let me show you true power! You can't so much as tug on the cape of Count Bleck! You have failed! Bleck! I expected more potency from the hero of the prophecy! I will watch your game end, and then your precious worlds will end soon after!" He prepares a huge energy blast. Tippi wonders if this is the end. Someone asks if they're giving up already? It's Bowser, telling Mario to man up, as he never gives up this easily when he attacks his castle. "Bleh heh heh heh heh heh... So you ARE alive, then!" Peach and Luigi show up. Peach says they'll never let him destroy everything. Luigi says they won't let him get away with this and that they're not giving up. Count Bleck will never win. Tippi asks how they got here. Bowser fell through the floor before the ceiling could crush him. Peach landed on Bowser, which was a surprisingly soft landing. Luigi doesn't know what happened, but Peach found him unconscious. He's ready to defeat Count Bleck. Bowser says Count Bleck will have to deal with all of them.

"Bleh heh heh heh heh heh... 'When the four heroes are united...' It is all as foretold." Light flashes. "What... What's this?" The heroes start glowing. Peach asks what's happening to Count Bleck. Pure Hearts appear around him and shatter the Chaos Heart's barrier. "Bleh heh heh heh... huh?! My barrier... is gone?!" Tippi quotes Merlee, saying, "Four heroes unite, their hope burns forth light to shatter the walls of blight." "So be it... says Count Bleck! But don't celebrate just yet. Your precious worlds aren't safe until my last breath! Let us finally end this! Now the true battle beings... with Count Bleck!"

You can now damage Count Bleck and select from the four heroes. Count Bleck likes to move around and flip to change his location. Hop on the platforms to reach him. You'll want to stomp him, then get out of the area to avoid any attacks he has up his sleeve. He can summon a black hole that will slow you down and do a lot of damage if you get caught up in it. Run away from it until it goes away.

When you defeat him, he says, "BLEHHHH!" The Chaos Heart disappears, then reappears near the floor. Count Bleck appears near it, looking worn out. "Ex... Excellent..." Nastasia appears near the count. He says, "You have won... Now finish Count Bleck. Dispatch me and the Chaos Heart will disappear. The prophecy will be undone..." Tippi asks why it has to end like this. "Timpani... when you vanished, I searched long for you. I never gave up looking... I searched and searched... But I never found you. Without you, the world had no meaning or joy... So I used the forbidden prophecy of the Tribe of the Ancients to end all worlds. I wanted to destroy everything that had taken you away from me..." Tippi says that she's here now and none can keep them apart anymore. "It is too late. Count Bleck has done so much evil... It must end. Just knowing that you are still alive... And knowing that the world you still live in will continue... It gives me peace. I do not have long to live. You must end my game before The Void destroys all..." Tippi protests that they're together again.

Nastasia looks shocked and tells Count Bleck to look out. She's hit by a familiar-looking blast. "Na-Nastasia!" Someone calls her a silly assistant for absorbing the attack to protect the count. They call it an adorably hopeless gesture. It's Dimentio, saying he was about to give the count the everlasting peace he desperately wants. Tippi is shocked that Dimentio's alive. He says this is his moment. Even if the count dies, the Chaos Heart won't disappear if he continues to control it. He needed the Pure Hearts to beat Count Bleck, something he couldn't do on his own. Instead, he has the heroes do all the sweaty labor for him and they even used up the Pure Hearts to defeat the count. If they make greeting cards to thank people for helping with evil plans, he owes them one. Now, none of them hold any value, so he's ending their games. He tells Mr. L that they're all his. He snaps his fingers and Luigi starts flapping his arms against his control. A sprout appears on his head and he says, "I AM MR. L! Master Dimentio, what is your bidding?" Dimentio explains he sent Luigi here after planning a seed in his unconscious, which has now sprouted. He sends Luigi off to prepare for his big entrance. Dimentio takes the Chaos Heart, saying, "Get ready for the greatest magic show you'll ever see!" Both are absorbed into the darkness. Someone says "GREEEEEEN!" Something gigantic appears with Luigi's head and feet and Dimentio's torso. Dimentio explains that the Dark Prognosticus says Luigi's the ideal host for the Chaos Heart and he added his own power to the concoction. "No... Stop!" says Count Bleck. Dimentio makes Count Bleck, Tippi, and Nastasia disappear, saying he'll squeeze the life out of them later. He tells them to wait in the dimension he sent them to. He enters the robot, saying the Chaos Heart is his. He'll destroy all worlds, create perfect new ones, and become king of all worlds.

The platforms in the room start moving and making faces. This is Super Dimentio, with 200 HP and 6 attack, but he's invincible right now. He'll target the heroes and either land on them or shoot at them. Keep moving so he can't hit you. He can also punch you. The platforms also shoot at you, so be careful. After a while, Super Dimentio announces it's destruction time and he'll begin with the heroes as they wallow in helplessness like upside-down turtles. He calls out, "L-POWER!"

On Flopside Tower, Merlon says the worlds are trembling. He wonders if the end is nigh. Norlem calls this unfortunate. The worlds that the heroes have visited start warping. In Dimension D, where Dimentio sent Tippi, Count Bleck, and Nastasia, Tippi says they have to do something to save Mario and the others. "We cannot. Without the Pure Hearts, there is not way to counter the Chaos hHEart. All we can do is give up." Tippi is shocked that Count Bleck would give up after promising long ago that they would find happiness together. She asks if it was just a lie. "It was no lie. But without the Pure Hearts, all worlds are doomed. What can we do?" Tippi tells Blumiere to snap out of it, asking how he can think that after they've suffered apart from each other. They found each other because they stayed alive, so she can't believe he'd admit defeat. She's not giving up because he promised they'd find happiness. Someone says Tippi's right. Mimi and O'Chunks flip in. "My minions... How did you find us here?" Mimi says they followed his smile. O'Chunks says that Nastasia said they'd be here. "Nastasia..." O'Chunks says Nastasia sacrificed herself to save him. He also promised the count his life and will live up to that promise. Both he and Mimi want to help, declaring their loyalty. "My... My loyal minions..." Black hearts appears, then reveal themselves to be Pure Hearts. "Hmm... What's this? Pure... Hearts?! But why?" Tippi explains that they are the feeling of our souls. As long we feel love, they live on. Tippi says she'll take them to Mario.

Dimentio says they should stop wasting time and finish this. Lights flash and the Pure Hearts surround Super Dimentio. He thought the heroes wasted them fighting Count Bleck. Super Dimentio is no longer invincible and the heroes are fully healed. Tippi rejoins them, saying the Pure Hearts have given them power. Now that you can attack, attack the head. Once you defeat him, he asks how they did it. He wonders how he could lose with the power of the Chaos Heart and Luigi. He asks if the prophecy has been undone. Peach says the prophecy was wrong all along. Bowser says Dimentio believed in the prophecy and they believed in mopping the ground with him. Tippi says nothing is decided entirely by fate and that everyone can choose their destinies. She bids him farewell. They'll add a footnote about his failure to the prophecy. Dimentio says this isn't finished. They can't stop this or escape. He has one last surprise. Super Dimentio spits out the Chaos Heart and Luigi. Luigi wonders what he's doing there. The Chaos Heart disappears.

Count Bleck, Mimi, and O'Chunks appear. "So it seems the end of all worlds is really upon us..." Tippi asks if defeating Dimentio wasn't enough to stop it. "I thought the Chaos Heart would disappear if the person controlling it fell... Dimentio... must have left behind a shadow of his power to continue controlling it. It won't last long... but it may be enough to ensure the end of every world..." Bowser asks what they should do now. "There is only one thing left that we can do." Count Bleck summons a large, cracked door. "This way!"

The door leads to the alter where the wedding ceremony between Peach and Bowser was performed. Count Bleck asks, "Timpani... Do you still... Do you still love me?" Tippi says she does. "Then you must come with me." O'Chunks asks what they're doing and he explains, "We will use the Pure Hearts again, this time to banish the Chaos Heart. All we need is true love... And that is something I am lucky enough to possess... But... With the Chaos Heart gone, the Pure Hearts and those linked to them... They may cease to exist." Mimi doesn't want him to go away. "All of this is my fault. It is my price to pay. I do not have long to live anyway. But you, Timpani... It pains me to know this may cut your game short... Still... There is no other way to end this." Tippi understands. "Timpani..." She says nothing else matters as long as they are together.  The ground shakes violently. Luigi announces that the end is happening. "We must go, Timpani..." Tippi agrees. They fly up to the alter, where the Chaos Heart is. "There were so many things I wanted to say to you.. but I could not find the words." Only one thing matters to Tippi: she never got to return his question. She asks if he loves her. "Of course... I have thought about you every moment since you disappeared... But I have caused you so much suffering..." Tippi says her life would have been more carefree if she hadn't met him. "But I had to be with you, Timpani. I will never apologize for that..." Tippi knows that and says she loves him. "And I love you, Timpani... Hundreds of thousands of years from now, that fact will not have changed..." Pure Hearts surround the Chaos Heart and engulf it. The world starts shaking. Bowser wonders if they're too late. Luigi hears something. They all hear bells chiming. The ground stops shaking. Peach says the bells are giving their blessing to Tippi and Bleck. In the worlds they've visited, The Void slowly disappears and the worlds are restored, including the Sammer Kingdom.

Blumiere: Timpani... do you remember the promise we made to each other that day?
Timpani: Yes, I remember...
Blumiere: If there was a place where we could be happy together, we would find it. Will you come with me to that place now?
Timpani: Blumiere... Of course... I will always be with you...

Back on Flipside Tower, Luigi wakes up Mario. Mimi, Nastasia, and O'Chunks are with the heroes. Nastasia wakes up, thrilling O'Chunks.  Peach draws their attention to the sky, where The Void is closing. Someone says it's a sign that the Prophecy of Destruction has not come to be. Merlon appears, saying all worlds have been saved. He thanks them for a job well done. He looks around, wondering where Tippi is. Mario explains what happened. Merlon accepts that she is gone under the guidance of the Pure Hearts. Peach wonders what happened to Count Bleck and Tippi and Merlon thinks they were lost when the prophecy was nullified. Nastasia disagrees, saying they're alive, fulfilling their old vows after overcoming time. She starts crying that she's all alone. O'Chunks agrees they're alive but says she shouldn't shame the count by crying. Mimi says they're still together, so they can build the count's world. Nastasia agrees that the count wouldn't approve of her crying. She also wants to create the count's world of love and not war. She suggests they pencil in an appointment for hope. Merlon comments on how farewells are bittersweet, but unavoidable. To feel sadness is to live, but the future is a blank page. After that profound musing, Merlon announces that he is hungry. He asks Saffron to make some snacks. Bowser likes this plan and starts heading for the elevator with the minions. The bros and the Pixl leave as well. Peach starts to leave, but stops when Merlon mumbles something. He wonders if Lady Timpani is truly happy. Peach says she is. Merlon agrees and they leave to get some snacks.

So the dark prophecy was averted and peace reigned. The Dark Prognosticus again faded into history... Count Blumiere and his love, Lady Timpani, both vanished. Where did the pair go? None know. And so the story of the lost book of prophecies comes to an end... May we meet again in another time and place...

Roll credits! After the credits roll, you'll see Lady Timpani and Count Blumiere, standing in a field together near a tree.

Super Paper Mario -- Chapter 8-1: The Impending Doom

Atop Flopside Tower is a solitary ominous door. Nolrem is also there, saying it's the final door. It's the eight Pure Hearts vs. the Dark Prognosticus and Castle Bleck awaits. Merlon appears, saying that on the last page of the Light Prognosticus it says that only those who have not abandoned hope can turn back the prophecy of doom. They walk forward into the future, no matter how dark and uncertain. Nolrem says they fought all this way because they believed the future could be bright. He can't go through the door with them, but sends them with all the hope in his heart. Peach thanks both of them and Luigi says to leave it to them. Bowser asks if they're going to group-hug and has had enough of the pep talks. He's doing this for himself.

Merlon says he doesn't know what's going on in Tippi's mind, but suggests that she stay behind if this is too hard for her. Tippi says she's going, having decided that she must do this. Merlon wonders what would happen if her memory returns and says she's grown so strong and changed so much. He says she must return safely to him. Tippi says she will go and defeat Count Bleck and save all worlds from destruction. The ground shakes. Nolrem tells them to hurry as all worlds may not have much time. In that black span of nothing, they will find Castle Bleck. They may face battles harder than any they've endured thus far. Once they feel ready, they should go forward. Merlon tells them all, Tippi included, to be strong. When you're ready, go through the door.

After finding every Pure Heart, the band of heroes set off for Castle Bleck. The stakes were high as the ominous void grew larger and the end drew near. Could Mario and friends stave off the inevitable and overturn the prophecy? What strange twist of fate awaited Tippi and Count Bleck? These thoughts plagued the minds of our heroes as the curtain rose on the final act...

The heroes find themselves at the Castle Bleck Entry. Castle Bleck looms, a black castle with a white outline and a cracked door. Flip into 3D to go through the door. The inside of Castle Bleck, as we've already seen, is black. This makes it sometimes difficult to distinguish enemies such as Magiblots, which are in the first area. There are also Koopatrols in the first room. To the right is a door. Through it, you'll find stairs with Goombas, Boomerang Bros. The door in the middle takes you outside where there are Paratroopas and Koopas. Go back inside and through the door at the top of the stairs and you'll find Red Is and Mr. Is. Run around them in 3D to defeat them. To the far right is a locked door. Walk a short distance to the left and Super Jump up to a door that leads to the outside.

Super Jump to the left to find two chests with a Long-Last Shake and a Stopwatch. Super Jump to the right, then float to the right to a pipe. Go through the pipe and you'll find Magiblots and Soopa Strikers in a narrow hallway. They're even in 3D. On the other side is a chest with a Castle Bleck Key. Go back through the pipe and go through the door, then unlock the door to the right. There are Dry Bones here, as well as Magikoopas, Gawbuses, Tech Cursyas, and Heavy Cursyas.

Go through the door and you'll find Magiblots and Fire Bros on the stairs. At the top are a set of five white torches. Take note of which ones are lit. Go up another set of stairs, which has Koopatrols at the top. The item block contains an Ultra Shroom. There's a Save Block nearby. Go through the door and you'll find large white torches. Have Bowser light the same ones as in the previous room and a large set of stairs is drawn in. Flip into 3D to go through the door.

Someone says "Harble-deh!" It's O'Chunks, who never thought they would make it here. He says the heroes shouldn't have been a pain. He has to hit them with the full force of his chunks. Bowser calls that big talk for a chump that gets stomped again and again. He says chunky boy is going down. O'Chunks tells him to prove it in a wrestling match of the ages. Bowser says he'll take on O'Chunks alone. Peach asks if he's sure and he says he's had egg-salad sandwhiches chunkier than him. He tells her to step back and watch how a totally awesome tyrant gets business done. The bros and Peach leave. O'Chunks says he'll hurtle into him with the force of a massive, hairy comet. He grows in size and Bowser is shocked. O'Chunks says Bowser wasn't expecting that. It's time to rumble.

O'Chunks has 100 HP and 4 attack. Because I went through the Pit of 100 Trials once in Flipside and twice in Flopside, I am now level 27, making Bowser incredibly powerful. Two blasts of fire breath doing 60 damage each beat him easily. When you win, O'Chunks shrinks down to normal size, wondering how Bowser could be chunkier than him as he's nothing but a turtle. He doesn't know how he can go on living with the shame of it all. He asks Bowser to let him keep his dignity as his game ends by finishing him off quickly. Bowser says there's no shame in being smacked down by a huge, studly boss. The ground shakes and the ceiling starts lowering. O'Chunks holds it up. Bowser asks why he saved them. O'Chunks tells them to get out of there. Bowser asks why he's doing that for them and O'Chunks says they beat him so they earned the right to pass. Bowser says he has more chunks in his head than he thought and holds up the ceiling as well. O'Chunks asks what he's doing. Bowser tells the bros to get the princess into the next room immediately. Luigi tries to protest, but Bowser barks at them to go. Peach agrees after a long pause and they leave. Bowser tells O'Chunks to go, too. He can hold up the ceiling all day. O'Chunks says he stole his line and that Bowser's hands are quivering. There's no need for Bowser to be a tough guy, so he should go. Bowser says he is a tough guy and tells O'Chunks to get out. Both of them tell each other to go and the ground shakes even more.

On the other side of the door, the bros and Peach hear a thud. Luigi calls to Bowser and checks the door, saying it won't budge. Peach says they have to keep going as there isn't much time. She's not worried about Bowser; he's not easy to get rid of. Luigi agrees, saying he's survived worse. Peach says they must move on to find Count Bleck. Bowser is no longer in the party, lost to them from a battle of machismo. The star is just to the right.

Super Paper Mario -- Interlude After Chapter 7

In Castle Bleck, the count is stunned by a report. "WHAT?! ... Spat Count Bleck in utter disbelief. Surely this news cannot be true! The heroes still live?" Dimentio tells him, in a sing-song voice that it's true and the heroes will be here before long. O'Chunks wonders why they're just sitting there. He suggest throwing the heroes a welcome party. He'll bring the punch. Mimi wants to party with the party poopers. She and O'Chunks leave. Dimentio's not one to miss a party, so he prepares to leave. Before he does, he asks Count Bleck if the name "Blumiere" rings a bell. "Where did you hear that name, Dimentio?!" Dimentio explains that the mustache man's Pixl kept talking about needing to stop Blumiere. He supposes there's no reason to mind the ramblings of a Pixl and leaves. Nastasia reminds Count Bleck that there's still time to stop the prophecy from destroying everything if the Pixl is who Count Bleck thinks it is. If she's really alive, Nastasia says he has to stop all of this. "You know not what you are saying, Nastasia. The prophecy can no longer be stopped by Count Bleck. No one can stop it. Nastasia agrees with what he's saying, but says she must be away, calling him Lord Blumiere. "Bleh heh heh heh heh... The man known as Blumiere died long ago. Now there is only Bleck! The Dark Prognosticus's choice to fulfill the prophecy! Nothing more!" Nastasia tried to interject, but Count Bleck interrupts with, "Come to Count Bleck, heroes... If you hope to save these worlds, then come... BLEH HEH HEH HEH! BLECK!"

We now present the final episode of our serial drama of Timpani and Blumiere.
Blumiere's Father: Blumiere, my son, don't! Even your ancestors could not handle that dark book... If you open it, there's not telling what might happen!
Blumiere: I do not care, Father! A world without her is empty. A LIFE without her is empty. Speak, Dark Prognosticus! Teach your dark history. I await your command! BLEH HEH HEH! BLECK!
Father: Blumiere... What have you done?
Blumiere: Silence! The first prophecy beckons. I will erase every inch... of this blasted world!
Father: Blu-Blumiere! Don't do this! Blumiere!
Bleck: Blumiere is no more! I am Count Bleck! And no one shall stand in my way! BLEH HEH HEH! BLECK!

Something crumbles as Tippi says, "No, Blumiere! You musn't. Darling, how could you? Why?" Luigi tells her to snap out of it. Peach thought Tippi went back to town, but they found her lying there, not moving. She then started shouting loudly. Tippi says she's fine and apologizes. Peach asks if Blumiere's a person's name and if she remembered something from her past. Tippi says it's nothing. Luigi suggests that they tell Merlon that they found the last Pure Heart.

Back at Merlon's, Merlon says they've gathered all the Pure Hearts and the four heroes. Bowser says they'll just stomp Count Bleck and call it a day. Peach fears for the people who worry when they look at the sky. She wants them to act quickly and ease their hearts and minds. Merlon asks Tippi what troubles her. Tippi asks if they have to destroy Count Bleck to stop the prophecy. Merlon says that much of the prophecy has already come to pass, but they still must stop it. Count Bleck summoned the Chaos Heart and brought on this peril. Without him, the prophecy's power withers and all worlds avoid their ends. Tippi guesses she always knew that. Luigi asks what's the matter. Merlon asks if there was anything between her and Count Bleck, but she denies it. Merlon says to find the Heart Pillar, then go to the black tower in Flipside.

Go to the second floor outskirts of Flopside and go right to find the Heart Pillar. Even though the Pure Heart is white, it makes a large black and purple door appear on the top of Flopside Tower. Nolrem says the last door is there and that he'll wait for them there. He says to prepare themselves and meet him there. Go there to start the final chapter. Before I do, there are two things I want to take care of first.

Super Paper Mario -- Interlude After Chapter 5

In Castle Bleck, O'Chunks is singing for Nastasia. It's a song about Count Bleck's greatness. Towards the end, he runs out of steam. Mimi appears, telling him to stop, saying he's breaking windows. Nastasia explains that she made O'Chunks come up with a nice motivational tone as a punishment for being defeated again. She's making him sing it 1,000 times. Mimi says Nastasia's more evil than she thought. She asks where the count is. She hasn't received a call to do anything and is bored. Mr. L drops in, saying Brobot is gassed up and ready to fight. Nastasia loves the enthusiasm, but tells him to shelve the robot action plan for the time being. Count Bleck left specific orders to stand by. Mimi can't believe they're supposed to wait for the hero to come get them. Mr. L says he'll leave to do other things if he's not needed. Nastasia is agitated, saying they aren't going anywhere, as Count Bleck's orders are absolute. She leaves. Mimi's bored and Mr. L says Brobot craves a daily smash and there's no action here. Dimentio says it's hard to stay still when one pines for sweet vengeance, but the count's orders are absolute and without exception. They shouldn't dare think about executing a secret sneak attack, even though defeating the hero would please the count. They MUST follow orders. Mimi remembers she has something to do and Mr. L says he must deflavorize Brobot's Flavorizer and they both leave. Dimentio says he must leave as well.

We now return to our serial drama of Timpani and Blumiere.
Blumiere: Look, Timpani. The stars are beautiful, aren't they?
Timpani: There's a tradition in my village. We believe that wishes on stars come true.
Blumiere: Oh, is that so? In that case, we'd better get wishing, don't you think?
Timpani: I don't need to wish anymore.
Blumiere: Mmm?
Timpani: I already have everything I need right here.
Blumiere: Timpani... Aren't you cold?
Timpani: Not at all. I'm very warm... Can we stay like this? Just a little longer?

Back in Flipside, Peach calls to Tippi, saying she's a little out of it. Tippi asks if they just heard something, but none of them did. She thought she remembered something very important, but the ground shakes and The Void grows larger. They need to open the door to the next world quickly. On the second floor and Merlon says they're back. The Void grows larger and some worlds may have started to decay already. He wonders how long Flipside will be spared. Tippi asks if the Light Prognosticus says how much time they have left and Merlon says it was only written to counter the Dark Prognosticus, so it's not truly prophetic. It's hard to say how much time they have left, but it's probably not much. Tippi says they can only go forward and can't wait for worlds to end. Merlon has a message from Nolrem, saying that a Heart Pillar has been spotted on the outskirts of Flopside. In the meanwhile, he'll look into the Light Prognosticus for clues.

On the second floor of Flopside, go into the Fortune Teller's house and you'll find Merlee's moved in. Merlee asks them for a favor: she lost her crystal ball in her move over here and Merluvlee in Flipside uses the same kind. She wants the heroes to ask her for one. She says this won't take long, but it's a long sidequest. Merluvlee says she's in training and Bestovius has some useful equipment. She asks them to get it for her. Go to Chapter 1-1 and ask Bestovius for the Training Equipment. He says he lent Old Man Watchitt a You-Know-What and wants it back. Go to Chapter 1-2 and go to Watchitt's house. He says he's been seeing a strange lady in his dreams who talks a lot and needed help with something. He describes her as looking like Merlumina. He says she needs to get out of his dreams and if the heroes help her, he'll give them anything. Since she's been in his dreams many times, he's become a fan and wants her autograph. Go to Chapter 1-4 and find Merlumina again. She says it's a pleasure to meet them again. They ask why she's still here and she says she couldn't fall asleep after sleeping for so long, so she sent out her frustrations telepathically. They reached someone in a nearby town of Ancient blood. She says she did it when she was single to meet people. She tells a long story, which makes the heroes fall asleep. She thinks that Watchitt is hard of hearing, which made her sad and unable to sleep. She says she used to fall asleep to lullabies and tells another long story. All this talking is making her drowsy and the heroes' plan to make her sleepy by making her talk was brilliant. She starts fading, but the heroes remember to ask for her autograph. Give it to Watchitt, who gives you Bestovius's You-Know-What. Give it to Bestovius for the Training Machine and give that to Merluvlee, who gives you the crystal ball. She says to tell Merlee that they're even now. Merlee give you a free charm and a Random House Key. Get your charm first and go for the Special Package, as it lasts the longest. Go to the first floor of Flopside and unlock the locked house. There's a large chest. It's time to get funky. A Pixl says, "Doodly-doo!" then makes animal and car noises. All things sing and to live is to make music, according to the Pixl. Her name is Piccolo and heard their footsteps, which isn't their essence. She joins the party with the ability to make different music based on the character, with the ability to remove curses.

Go to the third floor of Flipside using the pipe on the second floor. There's a red rock with Piccolo drawn on it. Use her power near the rock to reveal a chest with a Merlee card. Go to the second floor of Flopside and use Tippi's power to reveal some blocks under the pipe. Use the pipe to reach the third floor and go to the left to find a similar block. Use Piccolo's power to reveal a chest with the Nolrem card. Go to B2 and flip to find Welderberg on the right. He'll build you a pipe from here to the second floor of Flopside for 100 coins. Go to the outskirts on the second floor and use Cudge to break the yellow block. This makes a pipe appear. Take it down to the first floor outskirts. Take the pipe in the area down to B1, then another to B2. Behind the pipe is a yellow switch that makes the wall disappear. There's a large chest with the Power Plus. Use it to permanently boost your attack by 1. Drop down the gap to the left and you'll find a chest with a Barry card.

Go back to the first floor outskirts and flip in front of the sign. Follow the path and use Dottie to go under the rock formation. There's a square stone that's actually a yellow block. Hit it to make a red switch appear. Stand on it to make a Heart Pillar appear. Place the Pure Heart to make a blue door. Nolrem says at the Duel of 100, the hero will meet with dark powers of purest chaos. If the hero falls to the 100, the chaos world grows and the Purity Heart fades. The hero will falls to the world where games are ended. He deciphered this part of the Light Prognosticus, which says that if they fail to pass the duels, all worlds are ruined. Their lives and the Purity Heart will be lost. Although this message may discourage them, he must still send them forth as they can not nothing else. Stock up on healing items before going starting the next chapter.

Super Paper Mario -- Chapter 5-4: The Menace of King Croacus

"You want REAL danger? How about my duel with the foul Rainbowzilla?!" As the heroes descended into the Floro Caverns, Flint Cragley entertained them all. "Boss. BOSS! Cragnons heard that story 255 times, brah... You making my Crag hurt. Brah, if you count time we weren't tied up, then it be 256 times." Mario and Co. glanced over at the weary faces of Flint's crew as they delved deeper. But a light grew... Was it a ray of hope from the Pure Heart, or an evil illusion?

Flint Cragley tells the viewers at home that they traipsed over beasts, but found a sight too horrible to believe. Hornfels says nothing has happened yet. Flint says the sight is up ahead and they're going to look for it now. They leave. Drop down and you'll find a white door in the cavern. It leads to a scanner, with an ornate door on the other side. Unfortunately, the heroes can't get past the scanner. Drop down to the left and you'll find a tiny pipe, then a normal pipe. Go through the normal pipe and you'll see a Cragnon leave through a white door. The white door leads to the Processing Center, but a key card is required for access. Go back through the white door and drop down to the right. There are Pal Pills in the item block, but you may want to avoid getting them so they do not attack the Cragnons and cost you points. Flip and drop down and you'll find a red switch. Pick up the two Cragnons down there and throw them onto the switch to make a pipe appear.

The pipe leads to a part of the cavern where there's a skull drawn on the wall. Use Fleep on the skull to make a Cave Key appear. Beyond the door is a maze to a sign telling you to use Fleep on the skull, so you can ignore it and go back. Flip into 3D to find a ladder out of that area. Unlock the door to the right and you'll find a normal Cragnon named Gabbro and a Pixl. The Cragnon thought this was a good hiding spot since the key was lost. The Pixl calls this situation unexpected, like a storm of rain. It says there are no absolutes. The Cragnon asks what they should do. The Pixl says Grabbro must calm himself and meditate. The Cragnon surrenders, asking the heroes not to hurt the Pixl. The Pixl protests, but Gabbro says the Pixl kept him company and helped him hide. Gabbro owes the Pixl and wants the Pixl to live free. The Pixl notices that the heroes are not Floro Sapiens and Gabbro asks if they're here to save him. Tippi says Gabbro managed to avoid falling under the Floro Sapiens' control, just like Flint. Gabbro's a huge Flint Cragley fan and the Pixl says to find him. The Pixl says that humans, Cragnons, and Pixls shouldn't linger long together, as only heroes travel with them. It tells Gabbro to let his aura shrink so he can return to the village. It shrinks Gabbro, who thanks the Pixl and leaves through a tiny red door. Now it's time to get funky again. The Pixl bids Gabbro farewell. It says it hears the tears of souls. The hero must take her to the deep, dark underbelly of the earth. Her name is Dottie and she allows the heroes to shrink to enter small spaces and avoid detection. Use her power to go through the tiny red door.

Go through the door to the Processing Center, then run through the low gap to the left. You'll find the Card Key here. Use it to unlock the door. Go through the pipe, which takes you to an area with caged Cragnons. Pound the switch with Thudley and the alarm sounds. The Cragnons are released. Hop over the blocks to avoid them and go through the pipe on the right. Dimentio says they've finally come to play like long-sleeping toddlers. O'Chunks is with him. Dimentio asks if they tire of collecting the Pure Hearts. He says he's not violent by nature and wants to settle things peacefully. He offers to return them to their own world. The heroes won't sit by idly wand watch worlds die. Dimentio transports them to Dimension D. Tippi says this battle will end the same way as before. Dimentio changes things up a little by giving O'Chunks a sprout. He starts saying the names of vegetables. Dimentio calls O'Chunks dim and says he's livened him up with a sprout. He can now be called O'Cabbage. O'Chunks attacks. His attacks are largely the same, but he's faster. Throw him with Thoreau, then stomp. Once you defeat him, the sprout falls off. The mind control ceases and he asks what he's doing here. He thinks the heroes want to challenge him, but they'll get ruined. His stomach growls. According to him, warrior rule #1 is never fight on an empty stomach. The heroes are done the next time they meet and he lifts off. Tippi notices that the sprout that fell off is the same as the one on the Cragnons, but this one is nearly dead. Wear the sprout and the heroes suffer no ill effects.

Elsewhere, Dimentio laughs. He says if the heroes beat that model of O'Chunks, they're coming alone nicely. They are perhaps the ones he's waited for all this time, so he should prepare himself. Go up and through the pipe to return to the entrance to the Processing Center. Leave and go through the tiny pipe to the right for many item blocks. Most of them have coins, but there are Pal Pills and a Super Shroom here. Go through the white door on the far right, the one with an ornate door on the other side. The scanner will let the heroes pass through with the sprout.

The door leads to King Croacus's lavish castle. There are many valuable objects and paintings of former rulers. Read the captions to find out more about the rulers' histories if you like. You'll find out that King Croacus IV, the current ruler, was not born into royalty, but was acknowledged after many years of service to a young king who died early. Flip and you'll find that the floor is cracked underneath each painting. Use Boomer to blow up the cracks. In 3D, drop down and you'll see a colorful switch. Hit the switch with Thoreau so it matches the background of the painting above. You do not have to hit the switch under the blue painting, as the switch is already the correct color. There are Cragnons at the bottom, so beware. Under the far right painting is a Save Block. Once all of the switches are the correct color, a curtain appears and an door is revealed.

Go through the door and someone asks where the pretties are. They want more pretties. It's King Croacus IV, who calls the heroes hideous and clashing intruders. He won't forgive the trashing of his beautiful kingdom. The heroes order him to release the Cragnons. Croacus refuses, saying their sturdy bodies make them fine workers to dig up more gems for his bejeweled palace. He says the world is made for beauty and shows them the Pure Heart. He knows the heroes want the Pure Heart badly, and think it's because all seek beauty. Their blabber hurts his ears and their smell is wilting them. He rarely stoops to such things, but they should consider it an honor that he'll destroy them himself. He becomes a planted flower with three heads attached to flexible, spiny stalks. His head becomes more like a rose and he can cover his face with his petals. He has 50 HP and 2 attack. Croacus attacks with his heads, but does not take damage when his face is closed off. Grab stuff with Thoreau and throw it or jump onto him. Pick up a head with Thoreau and stand on another to get a better angle. After he takes a few hits, the heads disappear and Croacus floats freely. He'll shoot off flying petals that are like sharp fan blades. Pick those up and toss them at Croacus, or pick Croacus up and toss him at the petals.

When he is defeated, he says even as he wilts, he is beautiful. He turns grayer. Floro Sapiens rush in, asking what the heroes did. Tippi says they defeated Croacus and they want the Cragnons released. The Floro Sapiens say they don't get it. King Croacus IV was awesome and thought of his people first. The Cragnons were polluting the water by throwing trash into the river, which the Floro Sapiens then drank from. Drinking the polluted water drove Croacus crazy. Flint says he knew it all along. He has an emergency special report from the front lines, saying that pollution drives the Floro Sapiens mad. He tried to tell the Cragnons earlier, but his thoughts were too advanced for them. Hornfels says this segment is playing well with the green Cragnon crowd and that ratings are exploding. Monzo says it's like Crags on Ice meets Baron von Craggington. Flint says once the Cragnons see the report, they'll realize the error of their ways. The Floro Sapiens say that water is the most precious treasure. If the Cragnons stop dirtying the water, they'll chill out, be cool, and take off the sprouts. Tippi calls this an unexpected turn. Aside from whaling on their king, they are heroes and give them the Pure Heart. The earliest Floro Sapien kings were given it to safeguard for 1,500 years. King Croacus IV would be happy that the duty got done. The Pixls dance.

End of Chapter
"Men of true grit witness live what others can only see through Crag-vision. That is what moves me to travel into the belly of the beast week after week. Thanks again for watching, and until next the next time... CRAAAAGLEY HO!" Having wrapped their latest shoot, Flint and crew went back to Downtown of Crag. Mario and friends clutched the sixth Pure Heart as they walked back toward Flipside. Our heroes had taken a new step toward overturning the prophecy of destruction.

Super Paper Mario -- Chapter 5-2: Pixls, Tablets, and Crag

In pursuit of the abducted Cragnons, Mario and Co. headed for the Gap of Crag. What did the Floro Sapiens want? And where was King Croacus with the Pure Heart? Despite their hustling pace, our heroes never caught sight of the Floro Sapiens. But Mario didn't give up. He knew his fleet feet would catch them eventually.

In the Gap of Crag, Tippi says they've finally caught up with the Floro Sapiens, who have just gone through a door. Go to the right and you'll find Pokeys. Don't jump on them without Carrie. Farther to the right is a pool of water with Cheep-Cheep that can flip. Drop down to the bottom and you'll find a chest with the Water Tablet. Get out of the water and go through the door. The Floro Sapiens go through a pipe that is covered with a large yellow block. Go left and you'll find Clubbas. Flip behind the blocks for a switch that draws in a hill under the door.

Go through the door and you'll find more Pokeys and a Rawbus. There's also a Tech Cursya, which prevents you from using a hero's special abilities, so Mario can't flip if cursed. Flip in the area where you find the Tech Cursya and you'll find many item blocks, as well as a path. Drop down and have Bowser breathe fire on the flame-shaped rock to make the Fire Tablet appear. Go back up and get the items from the item blocks. There's a Slow Flower, Fast Flower, Happy Flower, Ghoul Shroom, Zombie Shroom, and some Pal Pills. I also encountered a Megabite, a flying skull with 4 HP and 1 attack. They only take 1 HP per hit, but fly off eventually. Go back to the left and use Fleep on the Space Rift to make a switch appear. Hit it to draw some rocks in so you can go back the way you came.

Go to the right and you'll find two invisible blocks over some item blocks. Both invisible blocks contain Mushrooms. Cross the gap and go through the door and someone says they've showed at last. It's O'Chunks, complaining that he hasn't been made to wait like that since a girl stood him up. He accuses the heroes of doing that to try to break his concentration, which he considers cheating. He won't fall for it. Tippi calls him misguided, which O'Chunks says isn't even a real word. Tippi tells him to step aside as this battle will end the same way as the first. O'Chunks wants an apology written with their faces. Dimentio sends his greetings, saying they meet again like two large, hairy Vikings on a storm-tossed schooner. O'Chunks says he doesn't need Dimentio's help and that Dimentio will only get in the way. Dimentio insists he won't be a hindrance and is only here because he has an acquaintance in this world. He dropped in to say hello and thought his magic could aid in the fight. He sends them to a new dimension and leaves them to fight to their hearts' content. O'Chunks has 40 HP and 2 attack. Pick him up with Thoreau and throw him, then stomp. Throw him into a corner so you can better combo stomp him. He has a spinning attack and can also charge at you. Once you defeat him, you return to the Gap of Crag.

He says being beaten twice is too much to bear and he can't show his face to the count. He asks them to put him out of his misery. His only regret was not confessing his love to that girl, but says that's not the way brave warriors talk when the time comes. He orders them to end his game. Dimentio reappears, asking how things are going. O'Chunks says that this is important and wants some privacy. Dimentio says O'Chunk's honor must be satisfied, so he asks him to humor him for a little. Dimentio thinks it's something O'Chunks would enjoy and asks him to try it out. O'Chunks calls him a crazed loon, saying this isn't the time for it. Dimentio asks if this isn't the time for something that would aid Count Bleck. O'Chunks says if it's for the count, that changes things. He agrees and says he's letting the heroes off easy and that they should work on their skills. Tippi asks what happened to him not showing his face to the count. O'Chunks lives for the count and couldn't end his game without the count's express permission. O'Chunks is all brawn and no brain and his past means nothing. The only thing that matters is Count Bleck's future. Dimentio and O'Chunks leave.

To the right is a rock. Flip into 3D and you'll see the rock is shaped like Yoshi. Run around it in a circle to make the Stone Tablet appear on the rock's nose. You'll have to be in 3D to get it. Go back through the door and climb the tall rock, then the blocks high into the sky. Jump from the top block to hit an invisible block with a ladder. Climb the ladder, then, while standing on the blocks at the top of the ladder, flip to reach the blocks above it. Up here are places for the tablets. Place them in the following arrangement: Stone, Water, Fire. There's some shaking and someone says, "Hey yo!" It's time to get funky again. It's a hammer-shaped Pixl. It's not getting a response from the heroes, so it asks if they're ignoring it or was that a "Yes"? It then begs, "PLEASE TALK TO ME!" Agree to talk to it and it says it's been a while since it heard voices or talked. It says you must tell people how you feel or they won't know and you must talk or no one hears. It asks for the hero's motto. Enter your favorite word. It thinks it's a good word, then flies up and shouts it to the world. It feels like it knows them now and calls it inspiring. It hasn't felt like this in while and it's like when it became a Pixl. It'll stick around with the heroes. His name is Cudge, the hammer Pixl. Swing Cudge for some serious damage, which allows you to break things like giant yellow blocks. Cudge says he has lots of pent-up energy.

Drop down to the right and break the giant yellow block. This makes the pipe reappear. It leads to a cave. Float to the right and flip to find a chest with a Stone Buzzy card. Drop down to the star.

Super Paper Mario -- Interlude After Chapter 4

In Castle Bleck, all of the minions have gathered. Nastasia introduces Mr. L, a new minion from a key competitor. Mr. L's not impressed with the minion quality here and says the other minions were trounced because they were "Junior" quality. This enrages O'Chunks, who says he'll introduce Mr. L to Fist Jr. and his pal Slappie. Mimi says Mr. L was soundly defeated, so maybe he's "Junior" quality. Mr. L says he was scouting his target and that he'll win next time. The heroes shall know the fury of the Green Thunder, but in the meantime, Brobot needs repairs and modifications. He leaves, saying "L-ater!" Though the mad in red shall wield formidable powers, one shall stand against him. The man in green shall use the Chaos Heart's power to bring darkness to all. Bleh heh heh heh heh... So it is written in the Dark Prognosticus," says Count Bleck. Dimentio asks if the "man in green" the prophecy mentioned is the new minion, Mr. L. O'Chunks thinks that makes no sense. "Calm yourself, O'Chunks. Make ready. Count Bleck is sending you on a new mission." This makes more sense to O'Chunks, who says the hero has a hot date with his feet. He leaves. Dimentio calls O'Chunks hot-blooded, which may be something to be admired. He leaves as well. Mimi's upset that she doesn't get to participate this time and leaves.

Nastasia hates to seem like a whistleblower, but trails off saying something about O'Chunks possibly being inadequate. She thinks the other minions may not be up to the task as well. She thinks the hero will collect the Pure Hearts and come here to deal with Count Bleck. "Bleh heh heh heh heh... All is according to plan, Count Bleck assures you." Nastasia says it's strange that Count Bleck was made to destroy the universe, as no one ever cherished it like he once did. "That's quite enough, Nastasia." Nastasia mumbles about something she could have done. "You'd what?" asked Count Bleck. She says things would have been different if only she could have been that girl. Count Bleck shakes his head, saying, "She cannot be replaced. You could never hope to do so, Nastasia."Nastasia apologizes, saying the thought just slipped out. "To be sure... She is gone... Gone from all worlds, never to return..." He leaves and Nastasia lowers her head in disappointment.

We now return to the serial drama of Timpani and Blumiere.
Timpani: What... What are you thinking? There's no possible way... No one would allow it!
Blumiere: If we can't be happy here, we must leave for a place that will accept our love.
Timpani: But, Blumiere, is there such a place? Think... I can't bear to see you hurt again.
Blumiere: If our love has no home... let us spend our lives searching together! So I beg of you again... Timpani, marry me! I promise I will make you happy.
Timpani: You... just won't give up, will you? Of all the crazy... stubborn... foolish men...
Blumiere: Timapni, answer me, please!
Timpani: Blumiere, I love you. Take me away. Take me to a world where we can be happy.

Back in Flipside, Tippi calls the five Pure Hearts they have quite a collection. Bowser says they can't go wrong with the king of all evil on their side. Tippi is grateful and says they owe Squirps. Peach says there's something different about Tippi recently, saying she's more cheerful, which is a nice change. Tippi says she's feeling really good ever since they saved her from Francis and could hang around Mario forever. Merlon asks if they found the Pure Heart in space. Tippi is about to answer, but suddenly flashes, and, in pain, falls to the ground, twitching.

Merlon brings everyone to his house, concerned that Tippi may not maintain her Pixl form much longer. Noting their confusion, he explains that Tippi was not always a Pixl. He found her in her true form, exhausted, barely alive, cursed to wander through dimensions forever. Merlon took a desperate measure and used his ancestors' magic to transform her soul into a Pixl. Tippi lost her memory and Merlon had no idea who she was or where she was from, but knew she was not there by chance. The ground shakes and Merlon says The Void is growing larger and such tremors are common. The situation grows more dire. Merlon wonders if the Light Prognosticus's events really forestall the foretold doom. He'll watch over Tippi while the heroes find the Heart Pillar.

Go to the first floor of Flipside and flip to go to the back area, where the card shop is. Flip the Space Rift on the wall for a switch that reveals a doorway. Flip to go through it and you'll reach the entrance to Mirror Hall. In here are eight switches and stained glass windows of the Ancients. Hit each switch only once, in whatever order. The mirror shatters allowing you to flip through the doorway. Go out through the other door.

The music here is an octave lower. This place looks like a mirror image of Flipside. Flip to leave the Mirror Hall, then flip to go through the left side of the wall. Go into the house on the left side and flip to find Cooking Disk Y on the table. Go up to the second floor and you'll find Merlon wearing a gray robe. He welcomes them, saying he knew they would come eventually. He explains that they are no longer in Flipside because they flip-flopped sides. They are now in Flopside. Because of this, he is not the Merlon they know, but an entirely different version. They can call him Nolrem. The story here was always of two towns, but only he and Merlon know that the other town exists. He says there's a front and a back to all things.

Flopside is similar to Flipside, but its residents seem a little more laid-back and carefree. Flip on the second floor to find Welderberg. He'll charge 300 coins to build a pipe connecting the second floors of Flipside and Flopside. It's a good idea. Go up to the third floor and you'll find a Heart Pillar to the right. This makes a light blue door appear on Flipside Tower. Nolrem delivers a message from Merlon, saying Tippi has been revived and they're waiting on Flipside Tower. Go over there and Tippi says she's feeling better and wants to continue on in the adventure. She says there's no time to stay in bed and she wants to be near Mario. Merlon will not hold her back, as the heroes need the knowledge she possesses. He bids the heroes to take care of her.

Super Paper Mario -- Interlude After Chapter 2

In Castle Bleck, Nastasia has a brief memo from Mimi, saying, "I messed up bad". "Bleh heh heh heh heh... She failed to best him, even with my gift of power? A Light Prognosticus hero... Descendants of the ancient tribe... Their strength grows," says Count Bleck. O'Chunks wants to whale on the hero again and will defeat them this time. Nastasia asks him if he's finished his report on his own inadequacy. O'Chunks is working on the conclusion, saying his writing takes time and that 1,000 pages is a lot. "O'Chunks, calm yourself. Take a minion time-out. Count Bleck will send... Dimentio! Come to me... Count Bleck!" Dimentio arrives like a sudden windstorm at a kindergarten picnic. "Bleh heh heh heh heh... You'd like some playtime, I imagine, Dimentio? So you shall have it, but do not disappoint Count Bleck. Dispatch this hero." Count Bleck's wish is Dimentio's command and finds the hero to be an amusing challenge. He leaves. Nastasia asks O'Chunks why he's still not writing his report. O'Chunks remembers his task and leaves. Nastasia then informs Count Bleck that she still has to find a few unconverted rogues left in the castle and leaves. "Heroes... Trying to save these pathetic old world. Bleck, says Count Bleck! Bleh heh heh heh heh heh... Their efforts are in vain. No one can stop Count Bleck!" He leaves, then says, "Just as no one can ease the tempest that rages in my suffering heart..."

Somewhere in Castle Bleck, Luigi is lying on the ground. His head hurts and he wonders where he is. He remembers trying to save Peach, but screwed up. Someone asks if he's awake. It's a pair of Goombas. Luigi asks if they're doing alright. The Goombas are okay and say they are glad to see he made it. Under their breath, they say they figured he was done for and he's tougher than he looks. Luigi asks if they've seen Peach or Bowser? The Goombas say he's the only one lying around, but hope they're okay. Under their breath, they ask who cares about his friends. They say other minions were captured and that they're probably next. They wonder under their breaths how Luigi can be so calm when they're behind enemy lines. They want to get out, so they suggest clearing a path, then all of them bailing out. Luigi says he has to save the Princess. The Goombas didn't expect Luigi to say that, after hearing all those stories about the Great Luigi's daring exploits as the defender of the helpless. They have no one else to turn to. Luigi is shocked to learn of this reputation, but says he has no choice and must spring into action, as his fans need him. One Goomba calls him the BEST, then mutters that that was too easy. They'll be right behind him, but mutter that if the going gets rough, they'll bail.

Luigi tells the Goombas to follow him. Go through the door on the left, down the stairs, then through the door on the left. If you talk to the Goombas, they have so interesting things to say, like wishing Peach or Bowser were there. Peach is easier on the eyes and they prefer Bowser over the "Great Dweeb". Keep going left until you reach a dead end. Luigi wonders what to do next. The Goombas say they should look for another way out and mutter that Luigi is useless. If they stay put, they'll be spotted. One of the Goombas, Gary, is brainwashed. Nastasia appears, saying she was looking all over for them. She says Luigi wasn't a team player at the wedding and needs disciplinary action. The other Goomba decides to Goomba up, which involves defecting to the other side. He asks to join Count Bleck. Luigi asks what he's doing and he says he's joining the winning team. Nastasia loves the enthusiasm and tells him to swear his undying allegiance to Count Bleck. He does and Luigi calls him a dirty traitor. Nastasia orders the brainwashed minions to hold Luigi down so she can get his priorities on track. Luigi calls to Mario for help as Nastasia lifts her glasses.

We now return to Timpani and Blumiere.
Timpani: You're late. Did something happen?
Blumiere: Yes, my father caught me. Sneaking out of the castle wasn't easy after that.
Timpani: I was worried you wouldn't come...
Blumiere: You are a strange girl... You know what I am and yet you don't seem afraid.
Timpani: I don't care what you are. I just wanted to see you. Is that... Is that so wrong?
Blumiere: No. No, of course not. I wanted to see you, too.
Timpani: Blumiere... Do you mind if I sit next to you?
Blumiere: Please do, Timpani. Let's return to our conversation. I must know more of you...

Mario and Peach return to Flipside and Merlon welcomes them on the tower. He asks if they found Merlee and the Pure Heart. Tippi tells him that Merlee said they need four heroes' power to save the world. Merlon's surprised they need more than one hero. He says they only need to find two more heroes. The ground starts shaking and The Void grows. Merlon says that time grows short and tells them to seek the next Heart Pillar. He says that one person determines whether the Light Prognosticus or the Dark Prognosticus predicts truly: "the man in green". Merlon doesn't know what that means. It isn't Link.

Go to the first floor and blow up the crack in the wall. Flip to go through it to find another part of Flipside. There's a sparkling zigzag on the wall. Also here is the card shop. You can buy Catch Cards and Card Bags, which contain a random card. You can also sell your cards. Flip to the front part of the first floor and take the elevator to Basement 1 (B1). There's a milk shop where gossip and stories are traded. Flip and go to the left to find the entrance to the Underwhere, an arcade run by the InterChet. Purchase Flipside Tokens to play the games, but you can't turn the Tokens into coins. If you get a good score, you get more Tokens, which can be exchanged for prizes. Go outside and flip to find a chest hidden across the water. It contains the InterNed card. Drop down into the water and swim to the other side of the channel and you'll find a tiny shop and Flim, a guy who has a random assortment of items for sale. Some of them are Caught Cards.

Outside the Underwhere, you'll find an elevator to Basement 2 (B2). Flip and go to the left and you'll find Welderberg in 3D. He forges pipes for getting around. He'll make one for this spot that leads to the base of the tower (Floor 2) if you'll finance it for 100 coins. Go the second floor Flipside Outskirts and you'll find a pipe. This takes you to the first floor Outskirts. To the left is a pipe blocked by brick blocks. Blow them up and go through the pipe. Flip and use Slim to slip through the right wall to find the Heart Pillar. Place the Pure Heart in it to make a yellow door appear on the tower. Go through it to start the next chapter.

Super Paper Mario -- Interlude After Chapter 1

In Castle Bleck, Nastasia asks O'Chunks if the hero stomped him and sent him back here. O'Chunks begs forgiveness and says he failed the count. He's never felt less chunky in his life. "Bleh heh heh heh heh heh... So our hero is real... Yes... A force to be reckoned with... Nastasia, the prophecy. Consult it and learn where the hero will go next... We will lay a devious trap for him and bring him to his very KNEES! BLECK!" Nastasia reports that she sent Mimi to that site for that purpose. "This pleases Count Bleck. Excellent work, Nastasia. I have granted Mimi powers potent enough to ensure that she will obliterate this hero. Yes, he will be helpless against her. I depart! Alert Count Bleck when this "hero" is no more! BLEH HEH HEH HEH! BLECK!" After referring to himself in the first person for once, he flips and leaves. Nastasia will send a memo on that, but she has another item on her agenda: some of Bowser's minions are resisting assimilation, so she's going to squash the resistance. She tells O'Chunks to stay there and think about his recent job performance. This tweaks O'Chunks's chin hairs.

In someplace dark and spooky, Peach lies on the ground. She wakes up, wondering how she ended up napping there. She remembers Count Bleck making her marry Bowser and that Luigi did something. She calls out to both of them, but gets no response. She looks around, asking if anyone's there. Someone says she's the only one left standing of the wedding party. It's a Hammer Bro and a Koopa. They say she finally woke up. Peach asks if they're all right and they say they're fine, but they don't know what happened. The wedding was crazy. They can't find Bowser or the guy with a mustache that may have been wearing a green tuxedo. They don't know where they are now and most of the other minions have been brainwashed by Count Bleck's assistant. Everyone's half nuts and they're not safe here. They must clear the area quickly. The Hammer Bro assigns Private Koopa to escort Peach out of the area, while he goes help his men. Bowser would burn him to a crisp if he left a Koopa behind. He wishes them luck, then hails Bowser.

Private Koopa says they have to evacuate. Go through the door and someone says to give up. Peach and Private Koopa watch from above. Some brainwashed Koopas tell the Hammer Bro there is no hope for escape and that he should hail the glorious count. They tell him to not resist and submit to his rule, which he will love. The Hammer Bro calls this insubordination, as he's their captain. He tells a Koopa named Johnson to drop and give him twenty. Nastasia walks in, saying his orders mean nothing, as they've sworn their eternal allegiance to Count Bleck. She'll pencil him in for a 10 o'clock brainwashing. The Hammer Bro prepares to throw his hammer, saying she's messed with the wrong Koopa, as he serves Bowser. Nastasia slightly lifts her glasses to brainwash him. The Hammer Bro hails Bleck. Nastasia orders them to round up the problem minions who haven't sworn allegiance and they obey readily.

Private Koopa is freaking out that things are going downhill. He can't believe they broke the captain. He says they must clear the area or it's game over. Go left and through the door. Go down the stairs. You can jump and hold (2) to open up the parasol for a controlled descent. You can also hold "Down" on the Control Pad and she'll cover and protect herself with her parasol. Go through the door in the middle, as the one on the far left has enemies on the other side. It leads outside to a dead end. Peach suggests turning around and looking around some more. Nastasia announces that this is a dead end for them. There are brainwashed minions around her. Private Koopa tells Peach to take cover, as he is trained to handle scum like this. Nastasia brainwashes him and he gets a pair of sunglasses. Nastasia calls Peach lucky to survive the wedding explosion. Unfortunately, it's the end of the road for her and she needs to serve Count Bleck. Peach refuses, but Nastasia says her hypno-powers say otherwise. Before Nastasia can brainwash her, Peach disappears, in a familiar manner. That wasn't on Nastasia's schedule. She's pretty calm about it, saying it's not a deal breaker. The prophecy fulfillment is running smoothly without her and it doesn't matter where she runs, as all worlds will soon fall.

Another story is told, solely through words.
Timpani: (I remember that day well... The room was warm. The whole place was at peace.)
Blumiere: Ugh... Uuugh...
Timpani: You're awake at last?
Blumiere: Where... am I? This this... a human's home? Bleccch!
Timpani: Don't wiggle like that. I found you at the cliff base. You took quite a fall.
Blumiere: You're a human, correct? I don't... repulse you? I am of the Tribe of Darkness...
Timpani: Why would that matter? Anyone with a heart would not ignore an injured soul!
                (That was the day our paths crossed. That day... That was the day our tragedy was set in motion.)

Back in Flipside, Mario appears from the red door. Now that he has a Pure Heart from that area, he can visit specific sections in that chapter. Merlon is standing on the tower, saying they returned quickly. He can tell it went well. He'll meet Mario in his house for the details. Before going to Merlon's house, go to the first floor, to the shop with a sign with a pot on it. This is Saffron's Sweet Smiles. She can cook for you, but only one ingredient at a time. Give her a Fire Burst to cook and she'll make some Spicy Soup. Since it's a new recipe, she'll add it to the list. Go to Merlon's house and he'll say the Pure Heart Mario found is truly a piece of the Purity Heart. Tippi says Merlumina gave it to them. Merlon says she was one of his ancestors who wrote the Light Prognosticus to counteract the Dark Prognosticus. His ancestors also built this town, which is why the residents are here. A resident interrupts, stammering that a girl fell out of the sky. Merlon must come up to see her. Merlon suggests that Mario come along. Take the elevator to the third floor.

The resident says the girl fell out of nowhere. Peach is lying on the ground. Merlon doesn't recognize her, but Mario is startled. He explains the situation to Merlon, who says she had a rough time and is unconscious and shivering uncontrollably. Merlon tells Mario to go to Saffron's on the first floor for a warm, revitalizing recipe so they can question Peach when she revives. Give Peach the Spicy Soup and she wakes up, saying she dreamed about eating the most delicious food. She's happy to see Mario and asks where they are and who everyone is. Merlon takes them back inside his house.

Peach tells them what happened to her, which Merlon calls a tale of woe and troubles. She wonders about Luigi and Bowser, but concludes there's no way to know. Tippi wonders what to do next. Merlon says one Pure Heart leads to the next and that there are more Heart Pillars in Flipside. If a Pure Heart is set into a Heart Pillar, the door the world with the next Pure Heart appears. He mentions that this one may lead to the mysterious Merlee, one of the ancients, who is like his long-lost cousin. Like Bestovius, she guards an ancient, secret treasure, which may be a Pure Heart. The Light Prognosticus speaks of her magical powers. Peach asks about finding her and Merlon asks if she's going along. He says not to tax herself as she only just recovered. Peach won't sit here and let everyone else go off. She says that The Void is her fault, and Bowser's. Her mind's made up and she joins the party, so you can now control her. Tippi says they need to find the next Heart Pillar. Merlon finds it refreshing to see such a headstrong princess. He gives them the Old Key, which unlocks something in town. There are secrets in Flipside that even Merlon doesn't know about and he thinks this key can help uncover one of them. He thinks it can be used near his house. In the meanwhile, he'll continue reading the Light Prognosticus for clues.

Go outside Merlon's house. You can switch characters on the menu screen or on the quick menu screen by pressing (1) and (2) simultaneously. While Peach can slow her fall, she can't flip. If you're in 3D and switch to her, you'll flip back to 2D. Flip outside Merlon's house and you'll find a locked gate in front of the elevator to the tower. Unlock it, go through it, then flip and go to the outskirts of town. Take the pipe to the right to the First Floor Outskirts, then drop down the first gap to the left. You'll find a spring and two chests, one with a Merluvlee card and the other with a Merlon card. Spring back up and walk to the left. Flip to go out farther, then flip so you can reach the sign on top of the rocks. Switch to Peach, then jump and hover to the right until you reach the Heart Pillar. The orange gears from the orange Pure Heart make an orange door appear. Go through it to start the next chapter.

Super Paper Mario -- Chapter 1-3: The Sands of Yold

With a bold quiver of his magnificent mustache, Mario let loose a hearty sneeze. A single grain of sand had flown along the warm wind and tickled the hero's nose. It wasn't long before Mario and Tippi found the source of the sand: the Yold Desert. Along the endless, sunbaked expanse, Mario and Tippi continued their search...

In Yold Desert, Tippi says Old Man Watchitt mentioned that some ruins would be in the desert. She also says the Pure Heart is not far from here.

Go right until you get to the item blocks. Flip and hit the item blocks not in the front and you'll come across a Happy Flower and some Pal Pills. You'll also find a Speed Flower, which temporarily speeds up time. This allows you to earn triple points and coins, so take advantage of it while it lasts. It also speeds up the music while in effect. Farther to the right, you'll find an item block with a Zombie Shroom. It moves quickly and attacks you if you're in the way. Go past the red palm tree and you'll find quicksand. Keep moving to keep from drowning. There are small rocks that come to life called Bald Clefts. They have high defense, so attacking them will be difficult. You can pick them up and throw them into other enemies. You can stomp them if they flip over. Flip behind one of the rocks to find a Squig card. Ahead, you'll find a Jawbus, a dragon-like monster that paces around. Flip to get around it, then attack the glowing spot on its back, its weak point.

Go through the right door and you'll encounter Cherbils. The pink ones spew sleeping gas. If you're hit, shake the Wiimote quickly to recover and reduce the damage you take. You'll also encounter Goombas with dotted lines around them. Any enemy with dotted lines around them can flip between dimensions, so be careful. Flip at the tall rock in the area and you'll find it's an arrow pointing to another part of the area. The area has a cactus with writing saying to jump under the red palm tree ten times. Return to the red palm tree and jump under it ten times to make a door appear.

Go through that door and you'll find flipping platforms. Next to the wall where the platforms drop  you is an item block with another Zombie Shroom. Farther to the right is a large pool of quicksand. Flip into 3D to find a narrow ledge to cross the quicksand. On the other side, you'll find Spiky Goombas. Don't pick them up and don't jump on them. Just ignore them for now, unless you have an item. You'll find a spring that leads to a switch almost entirely encased in blocks. Use Thoreau to hit it and more flipping platforms will appear. To the right is an item block with a Mushroom. Cross another pool of quicksand and you'll find a Save Block and door at the end. Flip and jump on the Save Block so you can reach the blocks above it. To the left is a pipe. It leads to an area with many item blocks. Flip into 3D to find more. One of them has a Super Shroom, which restores 20 HP. Go back through the pipe, then through the door.

Someone says, "GRAH-GOOGLY! You're the lad sticking his 'stachiy in me boss's business!" It's O'Chunks, who drops in, then makes the door disappear. Tippi asks if he's one of Count Bleck's thugs, but he says he's no common thug. He's the thug for the count of counts. According to him, Mario is about to feel some hammage, rather damage. Mario's a goner. Tippi asks if he knows what Count Bleck is trying to do and O'Chunks answers that he's trying to bring back order to the world. An enemy of Bleck is his enemy. Tippi says that O'Chunks is scarier that other enemies, so Mario might want to use her power to investigate. He has 20 HP and 1 attack. If Mario gets too close, O'Chunks will pick him up and swing him around, then do a victory dance. Pick him up with Thoreau and throw him to stun him briefly. Hit him once, then get out of the way until you can pick him up again. After hitting him repeatedly, he'll says he's chunked. His chunks failed him and he got pummeled, while Mario barely broke a sweat. He asks what kind of strange man Mario is. Tippi says he's the legendary hero, Mario. O'Chunks mishears it as "Maria" and says it's an odd name, but he'll remember it. Tippi tries to correct him, but he still calls him "Maria" and says if he looked like a toddler, so he went easy on him. Mario made the effort, so he'll consider it a tie. He tells Mario to get chunks for next time and wax his bonny 'stache. He lifts off with a gas cloud. Tippi had difficulty understanding what O'Chunks said. The door reappears, so go through it.

Through the door, you'll find Ice Cherbils, who spew freeze gas. Behind a rock is a Ghost Shroom, an item you can pick up. It will follow you around when you use it and attack enemies. Climb up the left platforms to reach a door. There's a sign on the statue saying to stand on a blue platform and press (-) and (1) at the same time to make something interesting happen. You have to flip around to read the rest of the sign. Go back, then walk to the right. Use the spring to reach some yellow moving platforms which take you to a door. Go through it and you'll see many columns. At the end is a blue pedestal. Press the buttons and the ground starts shaking. The entrance to the ruins starts scrambling until it reveals the star at the end of the level.

Super Paper Mario -- Chapter 1-1: The Adventure Unfolds

To start the chapter, go through the red door.

Somewhere in Count Bleck's lair, Count Bleck has assembled his minions. "BLEH HEH HEH HEH! BLECK! The Void has been ripped in the dimensional fabric! Yes, Count Bleck is pleased. All has gone as foretold in the Dark Prognosticus. Now it's just a matter of time until all worlds meet their demise! Bleck!"

A large guy calls the plan to erase all naughty worlds and build a perfect world without war or other icky stuff a super plan. A jester says the idea of a perfect world sounds magical and he can't wait. Someone comes in late and it's the large guy again. He has a thick Irish accent and wonders how he beat himself there. His name is O'Chunks. The other O'Chunks says  "Mimimimimimimimimmimimimimi" and wonders if O'Chunks overslept. They change into Count Bleck and says O'Chunks has muscles instead of brains. This shape-shifter is Mimi, and O'Chunks wants her to respect the count by not borrowing his face. "Bleh heh heh heh heh heh... How delightful, Mimi. Almost as dapper... as Count Bleck!" Mimi transforms into Peach, thanking the count and saying there are big smiles all the time with him around, which is her idea of a perfect world. The jester, Dimentio, thought her perfect world was a gem-filled pool with hunky lifeguards. Mimi transforms into Bowser, asking if Dimentio read her diary, then telling him to never mind. "Bleh heh heh heh heh heh.. Well, different strokes for different minions... After these rotten worlds are ended, Count Bleck will make all your dreams come true. But for that to happen... we must follow the instructions of the Dark Prognosticus.

The woman with the glasses, Nastasia, says she has an urgent memo for Count Bleck: There has been some unapproved interdimensional activity lately and it may be the hero of the prophecy. She says they need an action plan for him. "A dimensional interloper! And possibly the hero? You are sure of it, Nastasia? Interesting... mused Count Bleck. We must put an end to this nuisance..." O'Chunks asks if the hero is their enemy and to let him after the hero to beat him. "Very well, O'Chunks. I'll leave the hero-chunking to you. Do not fail Count Bleck. O'Chunks says Count Bleck can count on him and that he'll rain down like a fat thunderstorm. He invites Mimi and Dimentio to tag along, then jumps away. Dimentio says he enjoys a good chunking and flashes away. "Bleh heh heh heh heh... So hero... You would defy Count Bleck? Then hurry, for your world's end draws near... BLEH HEH HEH HEH! BLECK!"

Mario was called upon once again to save the world... no small task. Could he prevent Count Bleck from pulling off his sinister plot? Would Mario reunite with Princess Peach? A truly interdimensional adventure was about to being...

The world is drawn and colored in. Mario appears through the door, which disappeared. Tippi says she feels the Pure Heart is here, but it's far away. Mario has to find Bestovius. She says Mario can use her power to learn about everything. Point the Wiimote at the screen and press (A) over a red object.

This is Lineland Road. Walk to the right and you'll find an item block with a Mushroom. This will heal Mario's HP, which is currently 10. There are enemies called Squiglets here. They're pink, square-shaped enemies that walk around. Jump on them to defeat them. Shake after jumping to do a stylish move, which gives you 15% more points. Jump on an enemy repeatedly to rack up more points with a combo. Go over the blocked door and through the pipe to reach a chest with a Shroom Shake. Go through the pipe on the right. Up ahead is a house with a Save Block. Jump on top of the Save Block so you can reach the roof. Hit the brick above it to destroy it and a Catch Card will drop down. This one is for Squiglets. Having an enemy's Catch Card boosts the damage done to that enemy. The more cards you have, the more your damage increases. You can double or triple  the amount of damage you do, and can increase it even more. Go inside the house.

The house looks empty, but Tippi says it isn't. Use her power to find an invisible door in the room. If it's invisible, Mario can't interact with it. Tippi makes the door visible, so Mario can go through it. Someone asks what meager mustache stands before him and how do it have the audacity to address his multicolored glory. He also wonders how Mario detected his secret door. This is Bestovius. He notices Mario's red shirt, conspicuous white gloves, and jaunty cap. He says Mario is dressed like the hero of the Light Prognosticus because he is the great hero impersonator. Tippit informs him Mario is dressed like this because he is the hero and that Merlon sent him. Bestovius says Merlon's beard is the only rival to his mustache, so if Merlon thinks Mario's the hero, he probably is, he thinks. He will bestow the ancient secrets of dimensional flipping for 10,000 coins. Tippi argues that Bestovius can't charge to teach the hero of prophecy. Bestovius says he has certain expenditures and asks why heroes should get the world delivered to them on a platter by shaking people down for free skills. He says 10,000 coins should be nothing for a hero of legend. Reject his offer and he'll bargain for all your coins. Reject that offer and he'll relent and teach Mario for free. Agree to that and Mario gets special powers to flip between dimensions. Bestovius says to press (A) to slip between the fabric of space and flip between 2D and 3D. Mario asks what (A) is and Bestovius explains that if they are being watched from another dimension, those beings will understand, but Mario lacks the mustache for full comprehension. Flipping allows you to find hidden items and secret paths, but if it is used too long, Mario will lose HP. The Flip Gauge will drop with time, and Mario will lose HP when it runs out. Flip back to 2D before it runs out and it will slowly refill. Flip in this room to find a Shroom Shake and Shell Shock, then leave. Flip in the area outside the door to find a Fire Burst. Hold onto the Fire Burst.

Flip outside Bestovius's house and you'll find three item blocks. The middle one contains Pal Pills, little 8-bit pals that follow you around and damage the enemies they hit. If they run into enemies or fall into gaps, they'll disappear. Walk to the left to where the blocked door is and flip. This will make the door accessible, as the blocks do not surround the door in 3D.

In the next area, it is explained that Mario levels up when he gains enough points. He will alternate between getting 5 more HP or attack power increased by 1. This alternates and is not done by choice. Press (+) to open the menu to see how many more points you need for a level up.

If you flip near the tall pipe, you'll find a Goomba Catch Card. Up ahead is a large gap. Climb up on the brick blocks to cross over the gap. Nearby, you'll find a set of item blocks. The top block has a Happy Flower, which makes flowers bearing coins rain down for a short time. Grab as many coins as you can. Just to the right is an even larger gap you can't cross. Flip to 3D and you'll see that you can run along the hill on the back to cross the gap.

Go through the door and you'll find a spring next to a tall platform. Flip and you'll see you can go behind it and get more Pal Pills. Behind the next wall are several Squiglets. Defeat them and you'll likely level up, increasing your HP by 5. To the right are stairs to a door. Go through the door and you'll find Piranha Plants in pipes. You can't attack them, so flip around them or time your jumps well. There's an item block to the right with a Mega Star. It will make you grow to mega proportions, make you invincible, so you can trample enemies. Mario will turn into a giant 8-bit version of himself. Run to the right to destroy blocks and enemies. You'll find Koopa Troopas and Paragoombas in this area. To the far right is a star in a block. Flip and go past it for a chest with the Koopa Troopa Catch Card. Go back and hit the star to end the chapter.