Chapter 1 Finale

Well, here's the final part of Chapter 1 of Paper Mario Darkness in Time! We aren't wasting any time here, so enjoy!

Chapter 1: The Clockwork Ruins of Grass Land (part 6)

After following Father Clockwork through the passageway, Mario and his friends find themselves in a large, beautiful room full of crystals.

Shelby: “Wow! Look at this place!”

Everyone was gazing at the crystals scattered around the room. Father Clockwork, however, focused their attention to a strange alter in the middle of the room. Floating on top of the altar was a ring of bluish-green crystals around a strange gear-shaped object that looks exactly like the design on Father Clockwork’s scepter.

Shycan: “What is that?”

Father Clockwork: “THIS… in the ancient and powerful object that I’ve been guarding for centuries. The legendary Time Gear!”

Shelby: “Time Gear?”

Mario asked what the Time Gear do.

Father Clockwork: “You see, this Time Gear regulates time in the Grass Land. In other words, time flows properly thanks to this Time Gear. But when the Time Gear is removed from its altar, time around the altar will begin to freeze until all of Grass Land is frozen in time.”

Shelby: “Frozen in time!?”

Shycan: “We came here to retrieve this Time Gear, but we don’t want to freeze Grass Land in time.”

Father Clockwork simply smiled.

Father Clockwork: “Not to worry. I’ve been tasked to hand the Time Gear and a special power to anyone who’s proven worthy. Now, Mario, stand in front of me.”

Mario did just what Father Clockwork told him and stood in front of him. Father Clockwork raised his scepter high. Just then, a light shot through the scepter and covered Mario. After the light disappeared, Mario felt a surge of power emanating from himself. He asked Father Clockwork what just happened.

Father Clockwork: “I’ve given you the special power. You can now hold the Time Gear without time becoming unstable. You can also use the Time Gear’s power to aid you in battle.”

Shelby: “Really!?”

Father Clockwork: “That is correct.”

Shycan: “So now we can take this Time Gear and it’ll help us save time!”

Father Clockwork frowned by that statement.

Father Clockwork: “I’m afraid it’s not going to be THAT easy…”

Mario asked what he meant by that.

Father Clockwork: “You see, this Time Gear can keep time stable in Grass Land, but it can’t bring ALL of time stable. Just one Time Gear isn’t enough to bring time back to normal.”

Shycan: “Then, what can we do?”

Father Clockwork: “Mario. With your new power, you need to go around the world. You will need the power of 7 Time Gears, including this one, to bring balance back to time.”

Shelby: “Wait, where can we even find the other Time Gears?”

Father Clockwork: “I’m afraid I don’t have that information. I was only told to guard this Time Gear.”

Shycan: “Shouldn’t be much of a problem. I’m sure Dr. Toadley can get us in the right track. Remember, he was the one who led us here.”

Mario understood what Shycan meant.

Father Clockwork: “Well, whatever the case may be, I wish you luck on retrieving the rest of the Time Gear. Now, Mario. Step on the altar and receive your first Time Gear.

Mario stepped on top of the altar and held his hands toward the Time Gear. The ring of crystals soon disappeared and the Time Gear slowly descended toward Mario’s hands. Mario then took ahold of the Time Gear as he receives a new power. That power, bestowed to him by the Time Gear, was Time Heal, a Temporal Move that allows him to recover HP and FP.

Father Clockwork: “Every time you obtain a Time Gear, you get a new Temporal Move, and your old ones are powered up as well.”

Mario held his new Time Gear up high so his friends, who were cheering, could see it. Mario finally got his first Time Gear!

“After stopping Goomander of the Koopa Troop, Mario and his friends had made it into the Clockwork Ruins. It was unlike anything they have encountered, but they still pulled through and defeated the master of the ruins, Father Clockwork. Now Mario walks out of the ruins with the mystical Time Gear and a new mission to save all of time. Mario’s journey has officially begun. But one question still stands. What happened to the mysterious creature that attacked Mario at the Mushroom Castle?”

This was truly the “End of Chapter”…

…or is it?

Just outside the ruins, a strange figure was standing on top a hill overlooking the ruins. This figure was none other than the mysterious creature that attacked Mario at Mushroom Castle, with his leaf on his head being blown by the wind.

???: “So, Mario. You got your first Time Gear, huh?”

The creature simply laughed a little.

???: “Mario… We will meet again. I know we will.”

The creature soon disappeared. The creature now knows Mario is collecting the Time Gears. This is definitely not the last time we see of the creature. Mario better be ready for next time.

(End of Chapter)