Love Of Other Worlds (Shantae X Me)

The Cackle Mound

Our heroes met the Rottytops brothers : Poe and Abner, and offered to take them to the Cackle Mound. This mound, on the outside, has a fence that serves as a door, the entrance is composed by three purple pillars, on the top, it has something similar to the top of a somewhat strange and deformed green skull, below it there is moss, and on the sides of the walls there are small horns. When they arrived, Shantae and the others got out of the caravan, looked at the entrance, and then looked again at Poe and Abner.

Abner : We will stay here, just in case. Be very careful.

Shantae : We will. (Looks at the Cackle Mound.) Uh, I didn't remember that. It's very bad.

Bolo : (Looks at Cackle Mound.) I don't know why but I have a bad feeling about it.

Rottytops : (Looks at Cackle Mound.) Damn... This place... It's weird.

Sky : (Looks at Cackle Mound.) Yes, it's very strange.

Miguel : Well. We'll have to go in, won't we?

Sky : (Looks at Miguel.) Uh, yes. Although surely this place is not very... safe.

Bolo : (Looks at Sky.) Same here. I wouldn't know what it is exactly.

Wrench : (Looks at Cackle Mound.) Gruack, gruack... (Oh, no...) (They open the gate and everyone enters the Cackle Mound.)

Rottytops : (Finds some torches on a wall.) We better get these torches. They will help us a lot. (Everyone but Wrench takes a torch.)

Inside, the Cackle Mound is green, with some pillars in the middle, and inside live the Cacklers (A kind of skeleton.), which, are somewhat terrifying. However, something that impressed our heroes is that they didn't see a trace of Risky and the others, something strange. They continued their search.

Sky : Hm, how strange... There is no trace of Risky and the others.

Rottytops : (Looks at Sky, happy.) That's good! It means they haven't come yet!

Miguel : (Looks at Rottytops.) 'Rotty'... Don't trust yourself either. We don't know what's around here.

Bolo : (Looks at Miguel.) Skeletons, monsters, etc...

Miguel : (Looks at Bolo, with irony.) Oh, well, I didn't know... (Without irony.) I'm not an idiot.

Bolo : (Moves his hands like 'Hey, relax.') Okay okay, you don't have to tell me like that.

Shantae: (Moves her head from side to side.) Uhm... Okay, I don't see any Cackle.

Miguel : Ugh... That's good.

Wrench : (On Sky's right shoulder.) Gruack, gruack... (Uh... I don't like this place...)

Sky : (Looks at Wrench.) Hey Wrench, I feel the same way. Try to relax.

Wrench : (Looks at Sky.) Gruack, gruack... (Thanks, I'll try...)

Bolo : (Looks at Wrench.) Well, it seems that he is more relaxed... That's good...

Shantae : (Looks at Bolo.) What we have to do is try to relax ALL of us.

Miguel : (The next thing he thinks.) As if it was easy...

Rottytops : Well guys... We have to continue... (Breathes deeply.) We have to relax.

Shantae:Looks at Rottytops.) Well said. (Breathes deeply.) Come on, guys, take a deep breath. (The others take a deep breath.) Great. Now, let's continue. (They go deeper still.)

However, even though they had made good progress, there was still no sign of Risky and the others, which made our heroes see a small ray of hope. But, they could not find the right path, as Cackle Mound is a labyrinth. After a good walk, they came across a unique scene.