House of Baloo 2, 3

5.

X and Tippi come out of the red door.

"First, to Merlon's place..."

X nods. He heads down the elevator.

"You return so soon?" A voice said.

Merlon is standing outside his place.

"I can see from your faces that it went well, indeed... Let's head back to my house so you can tell the details. Please, step right in."

He enters his house, and X and Tippi follow him.

"So, how was it, dear friends? Did you find a Pure Crystal?"

"Yeah look!"

X takes out the Pure Crystal and shows it to Merlon.

"Oh ho, such pure brilliance... This is a true piece of the one true Purity Crystal!"

"Yes, we met Agrippa, She gave it to us." Tippi said.

"Wh-What?! Lady Agrippa?! You were well met. She is an ancestor of mine. She was the one who wrote the Light Prophecy to counteract the dark one... Agrippa and those who followed her built this town."

"They are why we are here."

"M-M-M-MASTER MERLON! B-B-B-BAD NEWS!" A person said.

A resident of Eerie enters.

"What is it?! Get ahold of yourself, lad..."

"Y-Y' see...

Um.

Um.

Um. ..

Um.

Um.

Um..

Um.

Um.

Um..

Um..

Um.

Um, y'see... A girl fell outta the sky!"

"What? A girl fell out of the sky? What in the worlds?"

"I dunno! Just, please! Get on the elevator and come up there to see her!"

"So it shall be! And you, X, come along. We may need your presence as well!"

The resident and Merlon exit the house to go see the girl. X follows them up an elevator.

Um, yeah, so I was just looking up at the tower, and she fell outta nowhere!

"Hmmm... She does not look at all familiar to me... Who could this be?"

"..."

"What's the matter?" Tippi asked.

"This is Zephyr! One of my best friends!"

"Zephyr? So this is the person that Count Stygian kidnapped?" Merlon said.

"Yeah.."

"Well, the poor girl seems to have had a rough time, of that we can be sure. She doesn't appear to be conscious... And she is shivering uncontrollably... What could the problem be?"

"Hm..."

"Oh ho! I know! X, you must go to the chef named Saffron on the first floor of Eerie. I am sure she knows a warming and revitalizing recipe for this poor girl... Once she revives, we will be able to ask Zephyr exactly what happened. Now, off with you! Find Saffron the chef on the first floor!"

X nods. He goes to the first floor and enters the kitchen, then speaks with Saffron.

"Welcome to Sweet Smiles! Ooh, sugar, our dishes will turn that little frown right upside down!"

"Yeah. My friend is unconscious."

"What? A friend of yours is out cold? Oh, mercy! Well, listen here, sugar... She sounds like she needs some Spicy Soup! I'll make that right away!"

She then gets to cooking the soup.

"Sorry about the wait, sugar...but it turned out just right!"

She gives X the Spicy Soup.

"This ought to wake that sleeping beauty of yours, sugar! Get it to her just as quick as you can!"

X returns to Zephyr and gives her the soup.

"..."

"Urgghhhhh.."

"Oh ho... It seems to have worked." Merlon said.

She wakes up and gets up, then yawns.

"Mmmm... I feel like I just ate the most delicious thing... I haven't had a dream about such tasty food in ages.."

"Oh! X! Are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm okay are you okay?"

"Yes! But where exactly are we?"

"This is Eerie.." Tippi said.

She looks around some more.

"Umm...OK. And who are you?"

"My dear, I am called Merlon. And that is what is known as a Pixel. Her name is Tippi. Come, let us adjourn to my place. I would be grateful if you would tell us more there."

They got to Merlons place and Zephyr tells the whole story.

"..And then before I knew it, I awoke and saw X, you, and Tippi."

"Well, my dear... That is most assuredly a tale of woe and troubles."

"Oh, X.. What do you suppose happened to Neon and Patty?"

"Not sure. There's no way to know.."

"Mm, I suppose you're right... There's just no way to know. I just hope they're safe.."

"Merlon... What should we do next?" Tippi asked.

"And one Pure Heart shall lead the way to the next..." So it is written. There are still more Crystal Pillars to be found in Eerie, young ones. When you find the next Crystal Pillar, you must set a Pure Crystal in it. And when you do so, a door to the world containing the next Pure Crystal will appear."

"And...my intuition tells me the next door may lead you to the mysterious Izora."

"Like Bestovius and I, Izora is one of the Ancients... We are like long-lost cousins. Yes... I have heard that Izora has guarded an ancient and secret treasure. If my instincts are correct, it may be the next Pure Crystal we seek. I must tell you, the Light Prophecy also speaks of her magical powers."

"So... We just need to find this Izora person, is that it?"

"Oh ho, are you going as well? You should not tax yourself. You've only just recovered...and.. it may be dangerous."

"Well, I can't just sit here and let everyone else go off to save the worlds, now, can I? After all, The Void that is spreading in the sky is my fault. Mine and Neons."

"So I'm going, and that's final! I've made my decision."

"I guess we need to find that next Crystal Pillar.." Tippi said.

"Hmmmmm... This princess is headstrong, to be sure. How very refreshing." Merlon said.

"I insist you take this."

He gives her an Old Key.

"There are secrets in this town that even I do not know... This may be one of the keys to unconvering them. Quite literally, in fact. Please, use this key wherever it fits here in town. My intuition tells me you should be able to use it very near my house.."

"I will continue to read the Light Prophecy and look for any clues that may help. I am sure that musty old tome still has much to teach us. Yes, very much indeed. Now, X, Zephyr... Do all you can to stop the count's evil plans!"

"Let's go, X! Come on, Tippi!"

X looks for a place to use the Old Key, and finds a gate to use it on in the 4-D dimension. He eventually finds his way around to a Crystal Pillar, then inserts the Pure Crystal into it. This reveals an orange door on the tower of Eerie. The trio enter into the orange door.