"It can't always be that easy" Goomarina gave a head to a cloud that was trying to attack them.

"Why are they attacking us?" Dante could understand the piranha plants, they wanted to eat, but the clouds.

"There was a thunderstorm a while ago, it drives the Puffs crazy for a while." Puniel was kind in answering her question.

"Thanks" The blonde dodged a plant that came out of the ground to bite him

“G-Got it” Koopatracia launched her shell to take down the killer flower, she was getting used to continuous fights.

"Good job as always girls" The Goomba winked at her and the Koopa hid her limbs in embarrassment

Due to the blast door blocking the entrance to the large tree, the group went looking for a certain Claudia who Puniel claims can reveal the secret entrance.

"Couldn't you break down the door with some transformation?" The archaeologist had this question on her mind for a while.

"It could damage the tree" That and I would not want to abandon any partner

"We're here, Hello! Claudia?" It seemed to be usual to visit her because the creature entered Claudia's house directly

"What a big house" The turtle was impressed by her opulence, her friend, on the other hand, did not care

"She likes fine" The blonde felt that the chair was very comfortable

"She doesn't answer, is she out? Claudia, are you here?!" Puniel, in a last attempt, shouted in front of the door of the room of the mistress of the house.

"Eh?...Don't come in!"

(Is that…is that really her voice?) Dante didn't expect that Claudia to have such a… sensual voice.

(I don't know if that adds to the joke of her introduction or it's an irony of life) He understood the joke, but it always seemed a bit exaggerated... maybe it was the paper world helping again.

"Is something the matter?

“That little voice… you are Puniel, how can I help you?”

The creature explained the problem and the need for her powers to find the secret entrance.

"Of course, I'd love to help you, but... I have my own problem and I can't get out of here."

"What's wrong?" The Goomba hoped she wasn't sick or something.

"My favorite necklace... disappeared, without it I am not presentable, that necklace highlights my wonderful beauty even more"

“I know how you feel, accessories make us more attractive” Goomarina was surprisingly understanding

“I feel incomplete without my shell”

(Women) It may sound simple or even generic, but it was the first thing that came to Dante's mind.

“Didn't that trio of…girls have a necklace they found on the ground?”

"Do you know where it is? Would you do me the favor of looking for it?, I'd be happy to help you"

"Of course, we'll be right back miss"

"Thank you very much"

……………………………………………………………………………………………

As Dante and his group made their way to and from Claudia's house, the shadowy trio continued to argue.

“How are you so cruel?! You had the portrait and you kept blaming me”

"Shut your stupid mouth! You do nothing but complain, I don't know how we are sisters!" Beldan did not regret it in the least.

“Caaaaaaalm... Caaaaaalm” Marilym was trying to get them to drop the subject.

“Anyway, take a look at the portrait and stop wasting your time!” The sketch bore a fairly accurate resemblance to Dante, a detail they noticed right away

"Damn!, it's the blonde from before" She must have attacked him when he insulted her

"Yeeesss" They finally realized, the big one was frustrated to the max

“Oh” It was that boy who called her cute, no one had ever called her that… mainly because they basically lived incognito and those they attack don't have time to flatter her.

"This is all your fault Bibiana!"

Marilym slapped her face, here they go again.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

"We didn't even have to look for him" Beldan, after making Bibiana cry again, was smiling when saw Dante.

(It's incredible that they lasted so long together) Dante thought seeing the one with the red hat keep crying

"Deliver..." The leader couldn't finish because the blonde kicked Koopatricia with all her force against her, sending her to the ground, after which he and Goomarina began to stomp on her until she knocked her out.

The whole scene was so sudden that the other sisters didn't know how to react.

“I have the necklace.” She didn't have many places to hide it.

“It was easier than expected” The archaeologist expects more resistance given her gossip

"Take care" Dante said goodbye to the other sisters before running off with his companions

"Weren't we too sneaky?" Koopatricia had her doubts

"We know they won't deliver it if we ask, please, that way we avoid any of us getting hurt" Beldan was right about something, surprise attacks are the best.

The turtle nodded, assimilating this fact, seeing the positive side, the one they attacked was very evil and unpleasant.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

The blue-hatted witch, it didn't take long for her to regain consciousness and realizing the situation, she was angry.

"Marilym! Bibiana! Everything was your fault! Bunch of useless people, get ready for a good punishment!"

"As you say" What else could Bibiana say, anyway, she would blame her

"Wooooooooow" Marilyn, on the other hand, felt guilty for letting her sister get pummeled.

………………………………………………………………………………………………..

"We have your necklace" They quickly returned to Claudia.

"I'm glad you found him! I'm embarrassed to go out like this, leave him in front of the door and wait in the room"

Dante did as requested and they went to sit in the armchairs

When there were no moors on the coast, the door of the room opened and a hand took the necklace

"Now I'm the same as always!" With her highlighted beauty, she had to attend to her guests

A few meters away, the group chatted.

"How will she look?" With all the mystery the Koopa was curious.

“Well…” Before Puniel could respond the lights dimmed and a disco ball came out of the ceiling, casting pink light along with different beautiful patterns.

(No one can deny that she knows how to make an entrance)

In the room she made her star appearance, a lavender-colored cloud with a plump woman's body, except for the lack of legs, and purple hair, she had large and seductive lips accompanied by curly eyelashes.

“Have you been the one who found my necklace?... How gallant! And you're very attractive! Let me return this favor to you!” Without another word she lunges at Dante, knocking everyone else off her feet, for a long, wet kiss on the cheek.

(She has more strength than she seems... in this game they gave more kisses than one would believe) She didn't particularly bother him, he had already been kissed by a Goomba and a mouse.

"Girls, are you okay?"

“You are worried about your partner, how cute”

“Yes… Why do keep kissing you every place we go?” Goomarina took her face off the ground.

“I have no idea, my exotic appeal? If this makes you feel better, you were the first”

"You make a girl feel special." She rolled her eyes.

"I-I still don't do it" Koopatricia luckily didn't fall on her back

"You can do it whenever you want" The blond said jokingly and winked.

“You are quite a rascal” Claudia laughed at the blushing Koopa

"What do you do in this place? Are you one of those open relationships and you're on your honeymoon? ... because you seem to have a fantastic vibe" Being a famous star, she had seen so many things in entertainment

Not even Dante expected that dialogue, the archaeologist had her mouth open and the athlete was going to faint from shame

………………………………………………………………………………………………

While they waited for Puniel to regain consciousness, he did not resist the collision very well, some clarifications were made with the cloud.

"So you are looking for that Crystals Start of Legend, it would be fantastic to live an adventure with those crystals as beautiful as me, I just thought that my life could use some emotion... Can I accompany you, Charmy?"She had no qualms about blowing his a kiss.

"For my sake, we need your ability anyway, but what do you think?" Obviously he was going to consult with his team.

"I have no problems" It would take someone very unpleasant for Goomarina to refuse his help

“Me neither” Kopatricia thought it was… daring, but that wasn't a crime.

“How kind everyone is” She gathered them together in a group hug

In this way Claudia joined Dante's group.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

When their guide awoke, they hurried back to the Great Tree

“…I didn't know that I subscribed to the local newspaper.” Dante checks his electronic device.

"The entrance should be this way, your turn Claudia" Puniel placed himself on a large branch of the tree.

“Of course, can you assist this pretty lady, Charmy?

The blonde knew what he meant.

(Okay, this had to be totally on purpose) The lumps on his chest might not work as real boobs, but having them squeeze and blow to activate the wind gusts ability… was weird and suggestive, to say the least. 

(At least no one here understands the context) Dante assumed it due to the biological limitation, but he also forgot that Goomarina was a university student who should have attended health and biology classes, remember that one of the species that lives in the kingdom, including the ruling one, is his own; As for Koopatricia, she found out about it because one day she accidentally caught her neighbor, a Toad, looking at a not-so-modest painting of Princess Peach... that was not a very comfortable conversation, which she prefers not to talk about.

Anyway, both of them decided to keep quiet and concealed their embarrassment until the secret entrance was revealed.

"There it is! I can go in now!" Puniel slipped through the small hole in the tree.

(Let's ignore the neon sign)

"These Punies are lovely... You know, I was a great actress, there was no one who didn't know about me"

Unfortunately, Dante was not from this world and his companions were not movie fans.

“Why did you quit? You still look like you can carry on.” He wasn't kidding, she was tackling like a truck.

“You are so sweet, but the shine of glamor hides the squalor of a dark world… it was despicable, I did not fit in there and I retired to this forest”

(Nothing new in entertainment)

“These innocent Punies reminded me of that time when I was a rookie entering the world of entertainment, at that time I loved being an actress, spending time with them renewed my longing for the stage … I will not allow anyone to harm them”

The rest put see how seriously she said it and they could respect her determination

"Dante, it's done!" Puniel had managed to unlock the gate from within.

"There is no time to lose" Dante and his companions could already enter the Great Tree.