As it turned out, the whole crew were geared up for action as Alex was set up with a new shell, its regular texture from his normal shell actually just a matter of likeness as it was made of Starry-chalcum with his arm returned and he looked more powerful with the feeling. Amethyst was adorned with some new claws, but her breath was further aided as it took some time to find the right supplement that would aid in improving her breath attack, actually finding it from the distant cape of the Bean Kingdom, a edible coral with electrical purposes and it was further adjusted to be applied to the lungs in the form of a electric breath, the sheer volume of it being enough to destroy the blocks while the claws actually allowed Amethyst to take flight again through the Starry-chalcum's purposes of unlocking more energy and power in one's body.

Christian and Anya were only slightly different as their weapons did the same exchange and their abilities changed in the same way, a slash from the halberd blasted a wave and destroyed the blocks while the Craw could do a high jump and came back down with an impact, some calling it the Dragoon's Slam. Anya was the same as her boots were made of the KK Leather and she felt the power in turn, but she found more fun with her new Starry-chalcum whip and often exclaimed that she was 'a hunter of the night'.

Ember took the tome in thank and respect to Alex as she learned how to conjure a dragon avatar to smash her foes and she channeled teleportation through her gloves somehow as they headed out with some improvements with the partners and the Shine Sprites and heading to where the Outpost was located, in the distant tundra of the Fahr Outskirts and all felt the sudden change in temperature as Bobbery stammered to the cold. "A touch nippy, I should say!" Alex nodded as the old sea-salt continued. "Let's do make haste, Alexander. Fahr Outpost can't be far now, old boy!" They headed on through the frozen realm and fighting the winter-based enemies that littered the way before coming up to the large encampment, Bob-ombs all about the town as the admiral spoke. "Harumph! Fahr Outpost, eh?" Bobbery huffed as he continued. "Well, where's this marvelous moon cannon, hm? Let's begin by speaking with some of the locals, eh?"

"Got it, Bobbery." Christian answered as the party divided up to search for any notion of an actual cannon, but it looked rather empty, other than the bare housing of the Bob-ombs and the general feel of quiet, but unknowing Bob-ombs as they soon regrouped to the Mayor as he spoke.

"Da... What business do you have here?"

"We are looking for a cannon, sir." Amethyst asked as she pushed the matter. "Do you know anything about it?"

"What? A cannon?" The party nodded before the Bob-omb turned around and spoke. "...No such thing is here." They face-palmed at the dead end before Bobbery huffed.

"Now, listen here... You're the mayor, hmm? How can an official like you lie that way?" The party turned to him as he lectured the Bob-omb. "Old boy, I KNOW I saw a cannon the last time I was here, so do not lie, sir!" The Mayor was quick to his reaction.

"SHUSH! You call yourself a Bob-omb? I spit at you!" That would have been funny seeing, considering the cold as the mayor countered. "You know rules! There is to be NO mention of cannon to non-Bob-ombs! NO mention! We must not allow it to be used for evil..." Bobbery got back up in the Bob-omb's space as he scoffed.

"Of course I know all that, you great blowhard." Bobbery reinforced his point as he made his claim. "But we must use that cannon to get to the moon, old boy. And if we don't, sir...the world could end!" That caused the mayor to back off as he started to pace.

"Mmmm... Hawwwwwwww... World could end... Ummm... Well, we cannot have that, now..." The pacing stopped as the mayor turned back to the party and spoke. "Still... You cannot use cannon right now because of certain...circumstances." Anya questioned this as she asked.

"Circumstances?"

"We must have permission of Goldbob to use cannon. He is the one who started whole blasting-things-to-faraway-places policy... Once he got rich, he let business slide and does not start it up again... Also... General White was the one who devoted himself to operation of cannon... But he was so depressed by losing of job that he took cannon key and left."

"Goldbob and General White?"

"Da, that is correct. If you want to use cannon, you must find Goldbob and General White." That threw them under the bomb, Goldbob was up in Poshley Heights, but General White was the wild find and they didn't really know who he was or what he looked like. That was dismissed a bit as the Admiral remarked.

"Very well, then... We can't give up now, old boy!" Bobbery turned to Alex as he continued. "Alex, let's go find those two!" They headed back as the mayor bid them return once they have uncovered them both. They returned to Rogueport before discussing a plan.

"So we know where Goldbob is, that is the easy part." Christian mused as they all started to think before making their move. "It's General White that has me a bit out there, where could he be and what does he look like...?" They started to ponder before all paused and turned to Koops as he seemed to be repeating.

"General White... General White... General White..." All sweat-dropped before Alex breathed and brought up a mechanical hand and, without a word, snapped which spooked the Koopa out of his thoughts. "W-What!?"

"Koops, you were repeating the General's name." Alex pointed out as he continued. "Are you okay or do we need to discuss this one-on-one?"

"N-No sir!" Koops stammered before he cleared his throat and started. "It's just... Back in P-Petalburg, there was a white Bob-omb with a weird cap on, s-said he was a general once, but his days were o-over." They just looked at him before Alex turned and spoke.

"It seems we have our first lead, let's move before the trail goes cold." The party nodded and they quickly headed out to Petalburg...

It didn't turn out that way as General White was nowhere to be seen, but Alex didn't let that stop them as they took the time to explain the whole thing with the close Koopas and the Mayor Kroop, despite still calling Alex Artie, pointed out that White headed to some tropical place, Keelhaul Key the next location they had to go to... once they got back Koops; As if by accident or fate, Koopie Koo had gotten a bit of Frostbite Dust in her veins and Koops was the foolish one to touch her... a sweat-drop came over all of them as they listened to the loud sounds of the two... doing the 'do'...

General White must have left again, but the party took that time to converse with the crew and members there, Koops completely out of it as Christian had to carry the poor guy and the guys had to clean him up for the trip and adventure, Koo was quite... vicious in her dazed trance, more so than Amethyst was actually expecting.

Pa-Patch gave the gist of that White was there, but took off just as quick, with mention of an arena or something along the lines. Meaning the Glitzville was the next ticket on their docket of locations...

With all the sound and boom of Glitzville, once the party returned and headed to the place, it was a shock that White didn't stay put. Jolene didn't have any info on the guy as she recalled that he frequented the watering hole instead.

The Bartender said the same, but White had headed off again, this time to a great tree, so the Boggly Woods was next up. Still, it was interesting to listen to the bartender as he talked about the tender down in Rogueport and his romance novels and someone else by the name of Larry, some layabout whose very presence breaks the world, something about him coming from another dimension with ninjas, clones, and adaptable drones...?

They walked through the wonderful and monotone Woods before coming up to the tree, the Punies grateful to see their saviors again, but none of them gave a solid answer about White, except Puni.

She had seen General White and gave another location for pursuing the currently wandering Bob-omb, a place that was dark made the party think of Twilight Town and so they were off to see to it, though Anya made things harder than it should have been.

Apparently, the reason why Puni was the more apparent female was because she hadn't developed well enough to easily conceal her appearance and the random eggs that she gave for the reward of her games were infertile... and hers, the party didn't want to ask anymore as Flurrie and Ember had to knock out Anya long enough for them to leave, and the pair worked as one to bind her and her mouth shut, that was more info than needed...

They arrived to the dusk town and STILL no sign of the old Bob-omb, a wild goose chase was what they had just faced, but undaunted they were still as they asked about for anything that could lead them to the wanderer, only to find out that it was indeed a goose chase.

As it turned out, the old Bob-omb looked like he was tired and Koops explained that General White didn't have housing anywhere that they just went to, so the only place that he would have decided to retire to was the Outpost, since he came from there.

Still, that didn't ease their spirits as Alex opened his canteen and drunk from it, the taste off as he looked at it before he grimaced, eye glancing to Amethyst and she had hearts in her...

Oh sweet merciful Stars, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN THIS POOR KOOPA!?

They lingered in Rogueport on account of... circumstances, during the rush about, Christian and Anya accidentally, ACCIDENTALLY, applied a pint of Frostbite Dust to the canteen when they made juice at Glitzville and handed it to Alex without even realizing what weapon they just gave and it didn't help that Amethyst had also drank some, there was going to be a stern talking-to from the red plumber on account of a traumatized green younger brother while everyone just cheered on the success, even Alex's own father was no help as he just took one look and, without pause, gave his adopted son a thumbs-up.

Still, it meant something... something worthwhile that the moment that Alex could move with his legs, he took on the Pit of One Hundred Trials... and won, the whole party flabbergasted that Alex had just jumped straight into the pit and a half-hour passed before he returned, no worse for wear and carrying a brand on his shell, Amethyst recognizing it and making for a round ten of lip-locking with Alex as the brand was made by the eldest dragon that ever lived in Rogueport, the undead mass of her deceased father Bonetail.

In dragon customs, to defeat the father of a suitable mate, you are, in essence, declaring him or her your spouse permanently, it showed when the brand moved from the shell and onto the neck, Amethyst gaining an exact match before Alex finally rounded up the gang and they headed into the frigid tundra. The party couldn't deny the sheer glow from both of the Koopas as Koops felt like a new man while Ember glanced over to Christian and looped her fingers with Christian's, he gripping tight back as they shared a moment before they returned to the Outpost and quickly found the General... asleep.

Now, at that point, an starting Alexander would have clubbed the poor Bob-omb awake as time was not on their side, but he just sat down and tapped on the Bob-omb before he spoke. "Found you, General White, I didn't think you would have come back here in your stupor." Somehow, his voice roused the Bob-omb when it could have been a hundred hits to even stir the old veteran.

"Now, who are you?" White puffed as he sighed in remorse. "I am tired... I do not need your attention... I just want to sleep, as it is all hopeless..."

"Hope is just as easily gained as lost, General, this is why we have sought you out." Alex answered as White looked at him and eyes started to widened as he spoke.

"Hut? That... beak. That patch... and that arm, even..." Suddenly he was fully awakened as he shouted. "Hut-Hut! I have been looking everywhere for you!" Alex paused before he asked, the party just as confused by the statement of a Bob-omb that was completely everywhere.

"May I ask you why you have been searching for me and my companions?"

"Why? Well... To bring that cannon back online!" Alex hummed to the answer as White continued his rant. "I had lost my life's work... My very reason to live... I found myself at wit's end... And then the Rogueport fortune-teller told me... 'Seek the Koopa with the glassy eye patch... the one with the metal arm and love-touched beak... he will fulfill your dreams.' Or something like that..." Before Goombella could ask 'which fortune-teller', Alex replied in kind to the mission.

"Well, your purpose is needed once more, we need to use the cannon to be launched to the moon and save the world from an evil faction that seeks its destruction or conquest."

"Hut? You need to use the cannon to help you save the entire world?" They nodded and the Bob-omb cheered. "Hip-hip-HOOOORAH! That fortune-teller was right! So, what are we waiting for? I shall get the cannon ready, so go tell the mayor! Now get moving! Hut-hut!" He headed out and they followed to the mass amount of effort at the helm as they spoke to the mayor, only the permission from Goldbob was now needed.

So it was off to Poshley Heights for them and to get the needed permission to get launched into space...

While they could have used the pipe to get to the Heights much more quickly, they still took the Train and it did a sizable amount of good for all of them, Goombella was amazed by the number of entries that Alex got her from the very depths of the Pit, said to be the vile remains of the foul Queen. Koops now carried himself with a new fire than how he just waddled on through life with them, he had truly became his own man without question.

Flurrie brightened up and seemed to glow with both a ghastly tone and a full body as she told all on the train her many exploits and how she would enter the spotlight of showbiz again, her small retreat in Boggly Woods the one place where she could recover her full love of both nature and the simple meanings. Anya spent some good time with Mark as the pair were able to bond more closely as mother and son instead of brother and sister.

Christian was high up as he spent mere moments with Ember and enjoyed it, being a fighter had never brought him this much joy and excitement, nor did it bring him down when he joined the adventure and found a true calling for his strength. Bobbery joined the tales with his own sea-bound ways, the mere fables becoming legend among the many passengers on the train, much more than better as it was expected that Frankie didn't just hand them out, he had them prove how much they were willing, any bad marks was a careful eye from the Piantas.

Mrs. Mowz didn't get much growing in but she was amazed and pleased with the badge collection that they had mustered together, speechless even when Alex had told her that she could take them off their hands when they head home, they belonged to Rogueport and he felt that anywhere else, the badges would be just items of decoration, not for actual battle. Mrs. Mowz disproved it as she explained, but she didn't press it as she just left the pair to enjoy their time together.

For Amethyst, it was a good part of her soul that was mended and given a reason to live beyond her old ways as a dragon, she had grown to truly love Alex and care for him more than just her savior in the end. Alex shared the feelings, but he couldn't shake something from his own heart, the closer they were coming to the Shadow Queen and the X-Naut leadership, it seemed like something bad could happen at the very end of all of it, he pushed it off for wishful belief and that there was no ground for such a flawed insight to be, but the Booholder eye didn't lie and he didn't want to affirm what could be waiting at the end of all of it.

Still, the days passed and they soon arrived to Poshley Heights and... to their surprise, Goldbob was out on a stroll with his family before he bid them a short farewell and walked on over to the party as he greeted them. "Good day to you, Crusader. What can I do for you today?" Christian hummed before he spoke up.

"Well, we need a favor, we need to use the cannon in Fahr Outpost."

"What's that you say? You must use the cannon in Fahr Outpost to save the world?"

"...Not sure how you guessed that, most people can't stomach an idea that big." Alexander and Amethyst nodded with hums before Goldbob continued.

"Hmmm... Well, that IS rather a pickle, isn't it?" The party nodded as Goldbob pressed on. "Very well, then! I certainly owe you a favor or two, hm? Yes, I should say! The truth is, I had hoped to resume my business with that cannon someday... And just between us...I only stopped because the wife said she didn't like the noise." They nodded once more as Bob continued. "Sadly, it takes a hefty bit of coin to get that cannon working... So... I'll need you to demonstrate just how much you want to use that cannon. If it were a matter of money, just how much would you pay, if I may ask?" Christian turned as Alex stepped forward and, without pause, PULLED an enormous bag from his shell and dropped it, the ground shaking from the sheer impact as he spoke to the Toad-sized bag now by their feet.

"Within this bag is my whole allowance as the son and aide of the Major Shell's Workshop and Home, the most respectable and reliable among those of the Koopa Kingdom, that is how much this means and more to me that we protect this world. Now is money still an issue?" Goldbob was left to a stammer as he exclaimed.

"W-W-W-What? You'd pay every c-c-coin you own? All of them? Y-Y-Y-Y-You, er... Really? So... Really?"

"If I was bluffing, I wouldn't have pulled out the coin."

"Well, I suppose I'm just surprised to hear you say that. Staggered, actually. You know that means you'll be left with zero coins? With absolutely nothing? You know that, do you?"

"Yeah, all two thousand, seven hundred seventy-two, down to funding a cannon to launch us to save the world."

"I mean, think of it, man! If you spent all your coins...and I mean ALL of them... You would certainly face a great deal of difficulty down the road."

"Have you met our foes and otherwise, I handle them all with both ease and gist, just like my friends, allies, and family."

"But hold on. I want to make sure you're doing this fully aware of the consequences. Are you sure you won't regret this later? Absolutely sure?"

"I didn't stutter, if that is what you are looking for, money is nothing if the world is lost."

"I can really take them all? Really? You won't say 'Just kidding!' later on or any sort of tomfoolery like that?"

"Like I said, coin is worthless when the world is threatened, you only need to take the coins in hand and get that cannon online, life is more valuable than mere currency."

"Well, all right then..." Without a further notion, Goldbob walked over to the bag and spoke with some pause. "Hmm... Well, you've certainly shown me something, sir. So... I give my permission for you to activate the Fahr Outpost cannon." With that, Goldbob pulled out a Guide with his name on it as he continued on. "Oh... And I wasn't serious earlier, my dear fellow. How could I take your money?" He laughed as the party just rolled their eyes as Alex just lifted the bag back up, everyone still surprised that it was still intact with the massive amount and minor treatment. "It's a shame, I suppose...but I'll return your money. "Now soldier on, my boy!" He nodded as he turned and spoke.

"Well, we have the party's consent, now it is time we get launched, watch out, X-Nauts..." He spoke as they made their way to the Rogueport Sewers via a shortcut pipe and to the Outpost. "We're coming for the Princess..."