Quesada's Swan

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

I have Mario bounce off deeper into the depths of the rift.

The bouncepad below takes us back to the nut-and-bolt bridge before our fight with Count Down...

Whoa, wait a moment, are those...

The whole place is creating an assembly line of Axem Rangers!

But there's a chest block above the top conveyor that I want to get...

And a monochrome Axem Ranger drops on Mario and a battle starts!

They have the same moves, but at least these monsters are weaker than their original counterparts.

I get caught into another battle with the Assembly Line!Axem Rangers again!

The chest block contains a recovery mushroom!

I leap on to the platform, and take another to make it to another conveyor belt delivering more Axem copies!

After a long fight with them, I get into another!

Holy heck, look at the Smithy weapons getting crafted!

Smithy's trying to build an army at this point. He's that desperate. I'm thinking Count Down probably alerted him that we were coming and is now in overtime trying to use all his skills to trying to stop us...

...and a stray arrow from the sky spins Mario around!

I have to watch my step at this point!

New monsters Jabit, Pounder, and Poundette are anthropomorphic hammers and a spear!

Smithy's assembly line's even making Shy Guys on pogo sticks!

Mack copies are also being made...

I proceed forward, hoping to stop the stray arrows...

---

But no go, as I'm in another battle with a Mack clone and his four Shy Guys on pogo sticks!

Easy win!

Avoiding the push of the conveyor betls pushing us down into the abyss, we see Boos patrolling the factory...

We dodge them, and fall down trying to reach the next set of conveyors...

Luckily, we bounce back up to where we were last time and grab a nearby chest block, which has Royal Syrup!

I make a bounding leap for the platform on the last conveyor, and make it!

But on the other side, I get too eager as I accidentally touch a Boo! Li'l Boos, a Duppel, and a Puppox are the new enemies...

The Li'l Boos are quick dodgers!

I get into another battle with a Li'l Boo...

Now where to next?

I leap for the chest block north of Mario, jumping to get there, and get a Max Mushroom!

Now east, more conveyor belts...

The Li'l Boos are strong against Geno's beams!

The next area, there's a staircase of conveyor belts, propping down assembly line copies of Bowyer!

Unfortunately, there's no way to avoid the Bowyer copies while ascending...

The copy even has the X, Y, and A buttons to seal commands!

He's one of the stronger copies in this area...and he's locked out the A button!

I try sealing his spells with Peach's Mute, no good...

Two Geno Beams and several hits later, the Bowyer clone's finished!

---

Past that, and now, Axem clones block our way, strafing left and right!

I get caught into another battle, where thanks to Axem Pink's clone, the party gets turned into mushrooms...

Now I have to wait a few turns...

And we take care of them...

It's all a matter of timing and placement, trying to dodge a battle with these Axem clones.

Though after another bout with them, Mario and Mallow gain a level!

In the middle of a pickle now...

And I jump too early again!

Bowser levels up!

I climb another staircase of conveyor belts, where I'm now fighting another Bowyer clone!

I take no chances and boost Geno's and Mario's physical stats!

Bowyer seals our use of items...not to worry!

After our semi-long efforts, a save block's there!

---

In the next area, devil guards patrol the area and clones of Yaridovich jump down to the gray block in the center!

I have Mario go northwest, and collect the items there, which have a mushroom and an extra Flower!

I head back. Since there's no way around him, I fight the Yaridovich clone!

The Yaridovich clone has his typical set of spells.

But the clone splits into four tiny spears!

After finishing them off, the Yaridovich clone's back!

But after two turns, he's done!

Peach levels up! So does Geno!

After we finish off the Yaridovich clone, the gray block blows up, revealing a hole below...

Being wary, I save again, and jump into the abyss...

---

The whole rift shakes at the impact of Mario's landing!

We now stand before two bosses: Cloaker and Domino, who've trapped us, and now want to...play around for a few minutes...eeeee...that's creepy.

Domino's the spellcaster, and Cloaker's the boulder slinger!

I have Mario attack Cloaker, since I think he's the greater danger, with Peach healing, and Geno boosting the party's physical stats.

It seems that Cloaker's defending himself, since our attacks against him are getting a bit weaker...

I change my target to Domino.

Now Cloaker stands alone, still in shock that we're tougher than he thought!

You don't even know, Cloaker...

He runs, but we chase him...

...where he's standing in front of a massive cobra! Oh god...

Cloaker jumps on the cobra, Earth Link, and round two begins!

We take care of the giant cobra first!

As its nature, Earth Link poisons Mario!

While Cloaker's up high attacking us, the giant cobra's dealing heavy damage!

We keep concentrating our attacks on the giant cobra...

After the giant cobra's taken care of, Cloaker's finished as well!

Another accidental encounter with a Yaridovich clone later, we use the bouncepad to head back up and go back to the save block!