Mountiantop Stars (Mario x Ydris)

3. The Frenchman

Though Ydris longed to solve the mystery right away, he knew, however, that the show must go on. And so he waited, continuing to give fortunes and put on shows to dazzle and amaze his audience until the sun began to sink behind the hills. Only then did he regretfully inform his audience that he must now close up for the day, and waited for them to leave before he, too, left the Highland.

"Where are you going?" Zee asked as she watched Ydris climb over the short stone fence that separated the Highland from Silverglade Acres.

"I, Zee my dear, am off to search for the mystery of the mysterious lights," said Ydris in a manner that he knew was quite grandiose. Zee rolled her eyes, disliking it when her friend acted the spectacle in front of her.

"I'm glad you have a hobby," said Zee. "I won't wait up for you, though."

"Can I not even convince you to give me a ride?" Ydris asked. Zee stomped her hoof, giving a 'neigh' that was all the answer that he needed.

Resigned, Ydris set off, grumbling about the walk for a few moments before he brightened up. Perhaps he could summon a Shadow Seeker to carry him! Or, he considered as he passed a runestone, perhaps that would be a terrible idea. The druids were always watching, after all. Walking it was.

By the time he passed a field full of... rabbits, Ydris was very much reconsidering his idea to make this journey on foot. Perhaps, if he flew up above the clouds, the druids would not see him? But no, best not risk it. He was pretty sure that Shadow Seekers didn't like to travel too far above the ground, anyway.

At last, Ydris reached the end of the road, frowning in annoyance at the way that it simply ended in a blocked-off tunnel. He sighed, hands on his hips, tapping his foot. Were he in Pandoria, he simply could have floated the rocks out of the way or ridden a Shadow Seeker over the fence. Alas, here, things must be done the human way. The normal way. The boring way.

But where was everybody? Had they gone home? Dear gods, did everyone in Jorvik simply stop working once the sun went down? Perhaps they were powered by the sun. That was a curious thought.

"Excuse me? Is there anyone here?" Ydris called. He could really use a drink right now, and a place to sit down, but the end of his journey was in sight! It didn't even matter that there was no telltale light shooting up into the sky, the other 'doors' having already lit up (he could faintly see one in the direction of the Hollow Woods from here), perhaps there might be something wrong with this one. His curiosity would not let him rest.

"Yes, hello, hello? Is there somebody down there?" another voice called, and Ydris looked up to see a man standing on a hill. He had a glorious orange mustache to match his orange hair.

"Ah, hello! Do you work here?" Ydris called up to him.

"I oversee things, certainly," said the man, and chuckled at his own little joke. "I'm afraid the workers have gone home for the day, was there something that you needed?"

"Yes, actually," said Ydris, giving the man his best smile. "I seek passage to Northlink, to solve the mystery of the doors."

"The what now?" the man asked, and even from here, Ydris could see the look of confusion on his face.

"You know, the doors that shoot light up into the sky," said Ydris.

"Ah, if you're after night sky phenomena, you'd be better off talking to Mario," said the man.

"Mario?" Ydris asked. Despite how long he'd lived on Jorvik now, he had, admittedly, not spoken to as many of the residents as would perhaps be wise.

"Fellow up at the observatory," said the man. "He's got a bit of a French accent like you."

"Oh?" said Ydris. Perhaps this man could be a fellow Pandorian, trapped on earth as well? "And how might I reach him?"

"Well, time was, you'd need to go all the way to Valedale and then find the path up to the observatory," said the man. "But now, you can just take the gondola lift that was installed recently. Very handy, that thing."

"Oh, thank goodness," said Ydris, glad that his journey had almost reached its end. "Thank you, kind sir!"

"Give him my regards, will you?" said the man as Ydris rushed around the corner, forgetting, in his haste, to even ask the man's name or where the gondola lift was even located.

Fortunately, Ydris soon found the lift, sighing in relief as he sat down on the chair within the lift and was taken up to the next station. He did have to hop off quickly, though. What kind of a madman had designed this thing?

The stars were just beginning to appear in the sky as Ydris made his way up the path to the observatory. He could hear voices, and paused, curious. There was a voice that he recognized, and one that he didn't, though he did recognize the accent that he often affected as part of his show.

"I often find myself wanting for company, up on this lonely observatory cliff," the Frenchman was saying.