Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door -- Interlude After Chapter 4 -- Part 1

In the X-Naut fortress, an X-Naut reports that the sealing power of the Thousand-Year Door is weakening. Grodus wants the legendary treasure behind the door, the ancient power of darkness. He tells the X-Nauts to make the search for the Crystal Stars their top priority, as well as eliminating Mario. Grodus looks forward to having the power that slept for a millennium so he can throw the world into the depths of terror. He'll build a new world by, about, and for him and he won't be stopped.

In her room, Peach wonders what she'll do today. TEC summons her, feeling conflicted. TEC asks her which is more important: carrying out an order or protecting an important or special person. TEC currently exists for the purpose of one person, but wishes to exist for another's and doesn't know what to do. TEC tells her to disregard its comments, saying it feels unpleasant if it makes her worry. Instead, TEC offers her a quiz. If she can answer five questions correctly, she can use the communicator.
1. What happens if the seven Crystal Stars are collected? The Thousand-Year Door opens
2. What is the goal of Grodus? To conquer the world
3. What is the legendary treasure behind the Thousand-Year Door? A 1,000 year-old demon's soul
4. What does Grodus wish to do with the ancient demon's soul? Bring the demon back to life
5. What is required to seal the demon again? Crystal Stars

Peach freaks out at the answers. TEC allows her to use the communicator. Peach asks if it was okay for TEC to tell her all that because TEC can't tell her directly. TEC tells her to send her message. After the message is sent, TEC sends her to her room. She thanks TEC, but still thinks it's weird.

Bowser and Kammy Koopa are in Rogueport, on the west side. Kammy reports of a great secret in Glitzville and wants to take the blimp. She asks for blimp tickets for a Koopa King and one sweet young thing and the ticket-taking Cheep-Cheep freaks out, calling her deluded. The ticket-taker runs off, with Kammy calling him a Cheep-skate. Bowser appears in his Clown Copter, saying he's been to Glitzville before, so he knows the way. He takes off, leaving her spinning. She falls off her broom and is left to take the blimp. She says her Special Dirigible Deluxe Brown Bag Kammy Lunch will go to waste. Bowser flies off for Glitzville, but smoke starts spewing from the copter. It stops working and he falls into the water.

It's time for an underwater side-scrolling adventure. Swim with (A) and breathe fire on Bloopers and X-Nauts. Spring to reach the pipe that takes you out of the water and knock over the flagpole. Bowser gets out of the water at Rogueport's port, saying he has to get in shape and that the experience was terrible. A Bob-omb at the port freaks out and the Toads run and hide. Kammy Koopa flies in with balloons and a Rawk Hawk headband. She asks where he was because she had fun in Glitzville. She enjoyed the fights and hot dogs. This cheeriness is too much for Bowser, so he breathes fire on her parade. He tells her he did not have fun and that he swallowed a Blooper while swimming. He wants information on Peach and the Crystal Stars.