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[THE SUPER MARIO GALAXY PROJECT!!]

Hi everyone! So, I've been a little busy with stuff lately BUT I have a new project that I'm starting! It's called...

THE SUPER MARIO GALAXY PROJECT!!

Yes, although I'm famously known for hating the Super Mario Galaxy series, I absolutely adore the music and thought other people at my Uni would too. So, that's how this came about! It's for the Wind Symphony at my Uni and I plan to incorporate a small handful of tunes from both games. Below is everything I've thought out so far:

THE BAND: Wind Symphony = Concert Band = no strings. I have saxophones at my disposal though, so that's fine. I'll just give the strings to other instruments.

RUNNING TIME: Somewhere between 10 and 11 minutes. Plenty of music, but not too much.

THE SONGS: (in this order too)

1. Staff Roll (SMG) - just the first 16 seconds

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2. Battlerock Galaxy (SMG) - the whole song

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3. Melty Monster Galaxy (SMG2) - the whole song

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4. Starship Mario Themes (SMG2) - a combination of all three

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5. Bowser Jr.'s Fort (SMG2) - the whole song

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6. Attack of the Airships (SMG) - the whole song

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7. The Luma and the Hat (SMG2) - the whole song

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8. Theme of Super Mario Galaxy 2 - up to around 1:30

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9. Staff Credits (SMG2) - from around 3:10 to the end

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Oh yes... WHAT YOU CAN DO IF YOU'D LIKE TO HELP: Tell me if the songs I've chosen are good! I've shown a number of people and they think this repertoire show a vast range of different colours and sounds from the games. Of course, if you know another song that might fit or would be better, you can suggest!

OR!

You could help arrange a piece! It's up to you! I don't mind doing it all by myself, but help's always appreciated. I found a few piano arrangements of these tunes to use as a reference, so that's also handy.

OR!

You could give me advice on how to make a smooth transition from one of the pieces to the next. I have a few of them figured out (1-2, 5-6, 6-7 and 8-9), but you can be the judge of that once I put what I've done up on display.

SO! That's all there is to know at the moment! I'll post to show you what I've done along the way so you can give me suggestions and tell me if I'm doin' it right. Until then!

Ah, surely someone else out there bought this game! I think it's GREAT!! Much more exciting than the original.

Anyways, I was thinking of setting this up just in case anyone needs help to unlock a certain level or Pokemon, seeing as there's literally no walkthrough anywhere on the web and nothing to go by. I've figured out how to unlock all the Pokemon up to Zone 9 ('cause I'm up to it now), so if you need help, just ask!

[Welcome to the Pokémon Bank Thwart Attempt! (PoBaTA)]

Welcome to the Pokémon Bank Thwart Attempt! (PoBaTA)

Hi everyone! As you probably all know, the Pokémon Bank has officially been released everywhere, which means that everyone will be able to transport Pokémon from their previous games to Pokémon X & Y. However, there is one small thing that had me intrigued: hacked Pokémon can't be traded over to these new games. A little voice in the back of my head asked me, "What do they mean by hacked Pokémon?" Well, the only way to find out was to do a little bit of research myself, which is how the Pokémon Bank Thwart Attempt (or PoBaTA as I like to call it) came into being! I'm sure plenty of people have tried this, but I wanted to check it all out for myself so I knew exactly what could and couldn't make it through.

Basically, PoBaTA is an extensive test that I conducted with a small party of Pokémon to truly find out what GameFreak classified as a 'hacked' Pokémon. I then extended my research to a box of legendary Pokémon, both pure and hacked ones, to see if the results were different for them. Lastly, I explored a little more with my final Pokémon from the first test to see the effects of changing the region in which a Pokémon was found. So, if you'd like to find out the results and see what YOU can trade over, keep on reading!

PART 1: Journey into the unknown; the Lillipup expedition!

My first test consisted of a small army of 14 Lillipups. I had done something or altered every one of them in some small way as to see whether modifying that particular variable made a Pokémon considered hacked. Each variable was done independently of the others as to make sure that I could isolate what made a Pokémon 'hacked'. In order to make this seem as legitimate as possible, I went out and caught all 14 Lillipups on Route 1 in Pokémon Black Version on my CycloDS Evolution DS card. I then used a Pokémon-modifying application called PokéSav BW on my laptop to alter each of these Lillipups. I named each of them as I normally do in my Pokémon games so I knew which was which and to add to the legitimacy. Below is a list of all the Lillipups, what was changed/altered and if the Pokémon made it through or not.

1. Gyro - Completely normal
This Lillipup wasn't touched or edited in any way, shape or form. I didn't even open it up in PokéSav to make sure that there was nothing at all that could interfere with the purity of this Pokémon. As expected, Gyro was successful in making it through.

2. Marley - Save & loaded with PokéSav (completely normal)
I'd originally discussed potential ideas with people as to what wouldn't be accepted and one that came up was the file size of a Pokémon. In order to test this, I saved this Lillipup to my laptop as a PKM file and then reloaded it into my PC Box without editing anything. This would have changed the file size as it was saved on my laptop. However, Marley was successful in making it through, proving evidence that file size doesn't make a Pokémon hacked, providing evidence that Pokémon may actually have different file sizes in the game.

3. Gus - Edit EVs but revert to original
Another idea that came to mind was if a Pokémon was 'hacked', is there a way to make it legitimate again? In order to test this, I edited this Lillipup's ability, moveset and EVs (to 255 each). After doing so and saving the changes, I changed everything back to normal by hand. Interestingly, Gus was successful in making it through. This is a good sign to those of us that have made a Pokémon 'hacked' and want to know if changing everything back makes it legitimate again.

4. Diesel - Edit & give nickname
I wanted to check if naming a Pokémon using PokéSav would have any effect on the legitimacy of a Pokémon, seeing as it's a form of tampering with a Pokémon's code. I caught this Lillipup and didn't nickname it in the game. I then used PokéSav to give the Pokémon a nickname. Diesel was successful in making it through, indicating that naming a Pokémon using PokéSav won't make it 'hacked'. I assume this is the same with editing a Pokémon's original trainer (OT) as it uses the same kind of coding.

5. Pugwell - Edit PID (Generate)
I believe the PID code is what determines your Pokémon's nature, sub-nature and what effects that has on stat growth. Generating another code without actually changing a nature or sub-nature in any way does cause an indiscretion in the Pokémon's natures, and I thought this would make it considered hacked. As it turned out, Pugwell was successful in making it through. This obviously wasn't on the high-priority list for GameFreak, or this coding issue was simply fixed on the way through.

6. Guppy - Edit to make shiny
It only makes sense to see if fake shiny Pokémon could make it though. I found a normal Lillipup in the wild and made it shiny using PokéSav. Interestingly enough, the PID also determines whether a Pokémon is shiny and by modifying that correctly, you have a shiny Pokémon! Funnily enough, Guppy was successful in making it through, which means that ANYONE can catch a Pokémon and turn it into a shiny. Well, that takes the fun outta finding them...

7. Yirl - Change nature
I'm sure many people that can't be bothered to find a specific-natured Pokémon and will modify its nature to their desire. I wanted to check if a Pokémon with a modified nature would make it through, so I edited the Lillipup's nature (including sub-nature). Yirl was successful in making it through. This means that many Pokémon trainers can modify their Pokémon's natures before sending them over, giving them an advantage in battles.

8. Spearmouse - Change location caught
This is particularly important to those who actually hack Pokémon and catch them in places that they can't be caught in. I caught a Lillipup on Route 1 and changed its caught location using PokéSav to Dragonspiral Tower, which is absolutely no place for a level 3 Lillipup to be found! Surprisingly, Spearmouse was successful in making it through. My conclusion to this is that when a Pokémon is transferred to the Pokémon Bank, specific location data is lost. I looked at the summary screen of the Lillipup in Pokémon X and it only said "from the Unova Region", which makes it seem that these specific locations aren't important. However, that doesn't mean that there isn't specific region data. My later experiments are used to test this as this topic is VERY important!

9. Marj - Edit all IVs to 31
Individual Values (or IVs) determine the base strength of a particular Pokémon stat. The numerical value of IVs ranges from 0 (incredibly bad) through to 31 (extremely superior). EVs also affect the strength of a particular stat, but if the IVs of that stat aren't high enough, that stat won't be very good at level 100. I wanted to see if making a Pokémon's IVs all 31 would make it considered 'hacked'. I personally didn't think so, seeing as Pokémon can be caught in the Friend Safari with five out of six IV stats that are 31. As I thought, Marj was successful in making it through, giving people who want to max out their Pokémon's IV stats to give them an advantage in battles an opportunity to do so. Legitimate? Hmmm...

10. Bez - Edit all EVs to 85 (max legitimate)
Effort Values (or EVs) are what determines the strength of each stat a Pokémon has. A Pokémon can accumulate a total of 0 to 255 points for one particular stat, however, that Pokémon can only accumulate a total of 510 points to spread across all its stats. This means that if you make one particular stat extremely good, the others will suffer for your decision. PokéSav gives you two default options as to how you can edit your Pokémon's EVs: make every stat have 85 (which is 510 in total, making it legitimate) or making every stat have 255 (which WAY over 510 and makes a Pokémon unnaturally strong). I decided to test all the EVs at 85, just to check if this default setting would work. As predicted, Bez was successful in making it through.

11. Shybs - Edit all EVs to 255 (illegitimate)
Now, this is where we start to abuse the power of the PokéSav and use it to create almost invincible Pokémon to destroy every living thing on the face of the planet!! Well, not quite, but I wasn't very optimistic with my subjects from here... I cranked this Lillipup's EVs all the way up to 255 each, just to see if there was any possibility that it might make it through. Obviously, Shybs was unsuccessful in making it through. I was going to be VERY worried if any Pokémon managed to make it through with stats like that, so at least this problem has been solved by the Pokémon Bank. Tough luck, you hackers out there!

12. Dug - Give impossible moveset
This was another incredibly hacked Pokémon that I wanted to try out: one with an impossible moveset. I gave this Lillipup the power to shatter any Pokémon in a single blow! Just to make it as hacked as possible, it knew Dynamic Punch, Horn Drill, Sheer Cold and Fissure. As expected, Dug was unsuccessful in making it through, indicating that a Pokémon's moveset is considered a VERY important aspect as to whether it is 'hacked' or not. There are exceptions to this rule, but they will be explained later on.

13. Beetroot - Give impossible ability (Wonder Guard)
It only seemed logical to test out whether a Pokémon would be considered 'hacked' if it had an impossible ability. As stated above, I changed the Lillipup's ability to Wonder Guard as it's probably the most obviously hacked ability. Beetroot was unsuccessful in making it through, meaning that Pokémon with hacked abilities can't be sent through. Another good and crucial move by GameFreak.

14. Gabe - Caught with R4 cheat
I caught EVERY Pokémon in Pokémon Diamond Version legitimately back in the day, but I got fed-up with the fact that I had to clone everything and trade it to all my newer games and started using a particular cheat on my R4 card. Pokémon Black & White have the same kind of cheat which I've been using for those games. Basically, you press L + R to receive 100 Ultra Balls and 649 Master Balls in your bag. You throw away Ultra Balls to modify the level of wild Pokémon and you throw away Master Balls to modify which Pokémon you find in the wild. I used this method to find my last Lillipup; 506 Master Balls and 40 Ultra Balls. I wanted to see if a Pokémon was considered legitimate if caught using this method as it's an easier way to fill up your PokéDex. Interestingly, Gabe was successful in making it through. Take note of what level this Pokémon was too; caught at level 40. This gives further evidence to the lack of location specific data as you obviously can't catch a Lillipup on Route 1 at level 40. However, this Pokémon was caught in a region in which it COULD be caught in, so region specific data wasn't tested here.

Results!!
I was actually very pleased with the results of my beloved Lillipups; 11 out of 14 of them made it through. This is an excellent result, considering the fact that 13 out of 14 of the Lillipups had been altered in some way. These results prove that Pokémon can in fact be hacked and modified and still make their way through to Pokémon X & Y, to an extent. File size doesn't affect the legitimacy of a Pokémon, a Pokémon can be modified to make it considered a legitimate Pokémon again (reducing stats, changing moveset, etc.), a Pokémon's code can be modified and still make it through, a Pokémon can be hacked to be shiny and still pass as a legitimate Pokémon, changing a Pokémon's non-regional location or level of capture doesn't affect its legitimacy and neither does catching a Pokémon using an encounter cheat on an R4 card so long as it exists in that region. However, giving a Pokémon max EVs, making it know impossible moves for it to learn or giving it an ability it wouldn't naturally have makes it considered hacked. My deep interest in this leads me to take a look at the restrictions on legendary Pokémon.

PART 2: So the legends say...

GameFreak have never made it easy to Catch 'Em All over the years. Legendary Pokémon, particularly event legendaries, seem to be in high demand and there's never enough for everyone. The same goes for this generation too; GameFreak is probably going to have PLENTY of restrictions on legendary Pokémon because there are a lot of hacked legendaries out there!

1. Regions are a big thing!

My interest with this and what makes a legendary Pokémon considered 'hacked' started with me attempting to trade over my Lillipups through the Pokémon Teleporter. I didn't realise you needed to put them in BOX 1 in your game in order for them to be transferred, so it asked me if I'd like to trade half the legendaries I own in that game over. As I was about to cancel, I realised that about 10 of them were missing from the box as they were considered hacked. After seeing this, I went back into my Pokémon Black Version 2 and checked out which Pokémon they were. As it turns out, they were a number of common legendaries that I'd used the encounter cheat on the R4 to collect. They didn't have boosted stats or anything out of the ordinary, so what could it be that makes them considered hacked?

I had a look at my Zapdos, Moltres and Articuno that happened to fail the test and I checked their capture log. All of them were caught in Pokémon Black Version at the Dreamyard. The thing is, you can't find these legendary Pokémon in that game. We already know that the specific location data has no relevance due to my Lillipup from Dragonspiral Tower, so that has to be the key! There is specific region location data for all legendary Pokémon, which means that for a Pokémon to be considered legitimate, it has to be caught/obtained in a game in which it can be found/obtained in. All my other legendaries that came from their respective regions were accepted for trade.

The same goes for event Pokémon such as Mew and Jirachi. If they are obtained in the correct games the event was meant for, they are considered legitimate and can make it to the Pokémon Bank. Going by this logic, if a Pokémon's region is modified using PokéSav, it's likely that it will make it to the Pokémon Bank. However, I prove this NOT to be the case...

2. It must be fate!

My biggest concern with some of my legendary Pokémon is that some of the event Pokémon that I have know moves that they wouldn't normally know, e.g., an event Arceus with Roar of Time and Spacial Rend. I used PokéDex 3D Pro to discover what moves certain legendary Pokémon can learn and those definitely weren't on there... However, that Arceus and my Jirachi with Draco Meteor made it over smoothly.

What does this mean? If you look at the summary screen for these Pokémon, it says they were met in a fateful encounter. The movesets of the recent Dialga, Palkia and Giratina events for Generation V games are quite obscure too. It seems that Pokémon met in a fateful encounter have certain moveset exceptions. The stats of these event Pokémon are well within the legitimate range and their abilities are the same as many others of their kind though, so these variables are unaffected by the 'fateful encounter'. Some event Pokémon in previous games, like Celebi, are shiny, however it has been clearly stated that a shiny Celebi can't exist in Pokémon X & Y. I attempted to send over a legitimate event shiny Celebi and it was unsuccessful in making it through, proving that particular legendaries will not make it through to the Pokémon Bank under any circumstances if they are shiny.

Results!!
As I've discovered, there is specific region location data for all legendary Pokémon, which means that for a Pokémon to be considered legitimate, it has to be caught/obtained in a game in which it can be found/obtained in. In my later experiment, I will see if this applies to normal Pokémon as well. As it appears, Pokémon met in a fateful encounter have moveset certain exceptions, but nothing else that makes them considered 'hacked' can be modified. Also, particular legendaries will not make it through to the Pokémon Bank under any circumstances if they are shiny. As my interest in this region specific stuff grows, so does my research...

PART 3: That came from WHERE??

As a follow-up to my previous discoveries with legendary Pokémon and their region specific requirements, I decided to inadvertently put together another small sub-experiment with non-legendary Pokémon to see if the same rules applied to them. I'm sure they would, seeing as it would be a bit suspicious if someone was attempting to send over a Lillipup from the Johto Region... I found a few Pokémon that weren't native to the Kalos Region in my PC boxes in Pokémon Black Version 2 that I could use as these test subjects whilst filling up my PokéDex. The subjects were:

1. Stantler
I had an extra one of these in my PC box that I could send over to the Pokémon Bank, and it was conveniently caught using the R4 cheat in Pokémon Black Version. As we know, Stantlers are native to Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver Versions, so if this Pokémon follows the same rules as the legendaries, it shouldn't make it to the Pokémon Bank. As I predicted, the Stantler was unsuccessful in making it through. This means that this region specific data not only applies to legendaries, but every Pokémon that exists. This makes getting them all just that little bit harder...

2. Baby Stantler
As always, I wanted to see if there was a loophole to this region specific data thing. I made an egg of my Stantler above and hatched it in Pokémon Black Version. Technically, this should make the baby Stantler legitimate as it was actually hatched in that region, therefore making it legitimately come from that region. Thankfully, the baby Stantler was successful in making it through, proving this theory of mine. This is a way to avoid any problems with region specific data as the Pokémon is HATCHED in the region and not CAUGHT. The reason why legendary Pokémon are not so easy to trade over is because they can't make eggs, therefore they do have to be caught in a region in which they exist in.

3. Cacnea
This one confused me a little bit because its actual name was in capitals, so I assumed it was from a game in the early Generation IV series or younger that I'd caught at some point. However, when I went to check its location, it told me it was from a 'Faraway Place'... That concerned me because there's no 'Faraway Place' in which a Cacnea could come from that a Generation V game wouldn't know of. It's OT was Fingerz, so I wasn't sure how I'd gotten it... Oh well! This one would be a perfect specimen for an experiment like this because even the game doesn't know where it came from! As expected, the Cacnea was unsuccessful in making it through. This just proves the same thing as the original Stantler as a Pokémon must be caught in a region in which it comes from. It also tells us that Pokémon that shouldn't come from a 'faraway place' will be considered hacked.

4. Fearow
For my last Pokémon, I thought I'd try modifying a Pokémon's actual region using PokéSav. I found a Fearow caught in Pokémon Black Version and edit its region to the Kanto Region (Pokémon LeafGreen/FireRed Versions). The wording on the summary screen was completely accurate and said: "Travel through time and space from the Kanto Region." The Fearow was unsuccessful in making it through, fully proving that any Pokémon MUST be caught in a region in which it can be caught in and it's region can't be edited at all, otherwise it will be considered hacked.


Results!!
The results from this experiment provide evidence that the region in which a Pokémon is caught is a VERY big thing and that incredibly strict rules apply to Pokémon from wrong or edited regions. Pokémon caught in regions that they can't be found in and Pokémon that have had their region edited will be considered hacked. The only way to avoid this is by creating an egg of that Pokémon and hatching it, making it native to that region and therefore a legitimate Pokémon. This can't be done with legendary Pokémon, thus making them much harder to be obtained legitimately.

CONCLUSION: So what on earth does this all mean?

Yes, I understand that I've written a hell of a lot and much of it is incredibly elaborated, so I've condensed it all for you! Below is a list of all my findings, so read this to be fully informed as to what will work and what won't when you attempt to trade over a Pokémon to the Pokémon Bank.

1.   Pokémon that haven't been altered in any way, shape or form will always be accepted into the Pokémon Bank UNLESS it's a particular shiny legendary Pokémon.
2.   Tampering with the file size of a Pokémon doesn't affect its legitimacy.
3.   Reverting a 'hacked' Pokémon's stats, moveset or ability will result in a successful transaction.
4.   Editing a Pokémon's coding (nickname, OT, PID, nature, sub-nature) won't affect its legitimacy.
5.   Editing a Pokémon to be shiny doesn't affect its legitimacy.
6.   Changing a Pokémon's location caught or level caught at within its particular region won't affect its legitimacy.
7.   Editing a Pokémon's IVs all to 31 won't affect its legitimacy.
8.   As long as a Pokémon's total EV count doesn't exceed 510 points, it will be considered legitimate.
9.   A Pokémon with a total EV count exceeding 510 points will be considered hacked.
10.   Giving a Pokémon a move that is impossible for it to learn will make it a 'hacked' Pokémon.
11.   Giving a Pokémon an ability it doesn't naturally have will make it a 'hacked' Pokémon.
12.   Catching a Pokémon using a wild Pokémon modifier cheat on an R4 card will not affect the Pokémon's legitimacy so long as the Pokémon that is caught can be found within the game it is being caught in.
13.   Pokémon met in a 'fateful encounter' have certain moveset exceptions, BUT no exceptions to stats or abilities whatsoever.
14.   Because some particular legendary Pokémon are coded not to be shiny in Pokémon X & Y, they will NOT make it through to the Pokémon Bank under any circumstances if they are shiny.
15.   Pokémon caught in regions in which they can't be legitimately caught in will be considered hacked.
16.   Pokémon that have been edited to come from another region will be considered hacked, EVEN if they can be legitimately caught in that region.
17.   Hatching a Pokémon not native to a certain region from an egg in that non-native region will completely nullify the region lock issue and will make it a 'legitimate' Pokémon.

Well folks, I hope this has been educational and that you've come away with a little bit more knowledge about what will work and what won't when it comes to transferring to the Pokémon Bank. If you'd like me to investigate anything else, just let me know and I'll see to it. Thanks!

Yeah, I just have a couple of questions/issues regarding Finale 2012a and its Garritan Sounds.

1. Why is it that if I use swing values in a song (so it swings, like Jazz), Garritan Sounds won't play swing! If I preview it by pressing Spacebar + Mouse Click, it swings, but if I play it properly, it won't! Funny thing is that if I change the sounds to the old Finale Sounds, it works perfectly in both situations... Help? XD

2. Finale doesn't like it if I try to change different sections of a song from swung quavers to straight quavers. It will allow that change to ONLY the first piano or top stave I've got but completely ignore it for the rest of them... Is there any way to fix this so it applies to all?

Thanks in advance!

[YOU]

That's right, folks! I'm asking YOU how you go about arranging!

I'm just curious to see what people do! We're all completely different people, so our ways of arranging must be different too! Just give me and everyone else some insight as to how you go about arranging; your plan of attack, how to work out chords, breaking down difficult parts, how long it takes you, etc. It doesn't matter how you do it, I'd just like to know what you do to get to a final product.

Now get posting, people!! The more conversation we get going here, the more likely I'll be to share how I go about arranging and get to my finished product. Hopefully that's an incentive. XD

Hope to hear from you all soon!

Hi everyone!

I just wanted to ask someone to do this amazing song for me from the new Mario & Luigi RPG game. This is the last boss music when you verse Antasma and I just think IT'S THE MOST AMAZING SONG I'VE EVER HEARD IN MY ENTIRE FREAKING LIFE!! OMG I LOVE YOU YOKO SHIMOMURA!! <3

So yeah, if there's anyone out there who wants to do this, feel free to do it! Thanks in advance!

[World S1]

Hi everyone! Here are the records for all the levels in the Special Worlds in Super Mario 3D Land. Let's do this!!!

World S1

Stage 1
Fingerz
34

Stage 2
Fingerz
49

Stage 3
Fingerz
49

Stage 4
Fingerz
60

Castle
Fingerz
75

World S2

Stage 1
Fingerz
115

Stage 2
Fingerz
89

Stage 3
Fingerz
145

Stage 4
Fingerz
83

Stage 5
Fingerz
77

Airship
Fingerz
54

World S3

Stage 1
Fingerz
67

Stage 2
Fingerz
62

Stage 3
Fingerz
59

Stage 4
Fingerz
65

Stage 5
Fingerz
55

Airship
Fingerz
49

World S4

Stage 1
Fingerz
179

Stage 2
Fingerz
54

Stage 3
Fingerz
44

Stage 4
Fingerz
45

Stage 5
Fingerz
68

Airship
Fingerz
138

World S5

Stage 1
Fingerz
43

Stage 2
Fingerz
58

Stage 3
Fingerz
114

Stage 4
Fingerz
107

Stage 5
Fingerz
40

Castle
Fingerz
89

World S6

Stage 1
Fingerz
40

Stage 2
Fingerz
72

Stage 3
Fingerz
55

Stage 4
Fingerz
41

Stage 5
Fingerz
92

Airship
Fingerz
91

World S7

Stage 1
Fingerz
61

Stage 2
Fingerz
56

Stage 3
Fingerz
59

Stage 4
Fingerz
45

Stage 5
Fingerz
93

Castle
Fingerz
73

World S8

Stage 1
Fingerz
41

Stage 2
Fingerz
75

Stage 3
Fingerz
86

Stage 4
Fingerz
96

Stage 5
Fingerz
56

Castle
Fingerz
108

Crown
Fingerz
219

[Best Total Coin Records:]

Well, all of us here seem to love competing in some way with all these Mario games, so why not compete to have the highest amount of coins collected in one level? So, for every level in New Super Mario Bros. 2 we'll announce someone as the top coin collector! Just post here and I'll update the list! LET THE GAMES BEGIN!!

Best Total Coin Records:
1. 1,622,146 coins (Fingerz)
2. 187,517 coins (Pit0010)
3. 70,606 coins (SlowPokemon)

Best Coin Rush Records:
1. 30,000 coins (Fingerz)
2.29,854 coins (Pit0010)
3.

World 1

W1-1
Fingerz
7343 coins

W1-2
Fingerz
1425 coins

W1-3
Fingerz
689 coins

W1-Tower
Fingerz
506 coins

W1-4
Fingerz
1268 coins

W1-5
Fingerz
1020 coins

W1-Castle
540 coins

W1-A
Fingerz
2369 coins

W1-Cannon
Fingerz
191 coins

W1-Rainbow
Fingerz
391 coins

World 2

W2-1
Fingerz
1546 coins

W2-2
Fingerz
1598 coins

W2-3
Fingerz
1254 coins

W2-Tower
Fingerz
551 coins

W2-Ghost House
Fingerz
452 coins

W2-4
Fingerz
5335 coins

W2-5
Fingerz
651 coins

W2-Castle
Fingerz
776 coins

W2-A
Fingerz
436 coins

W2-B
Fingerz
1094 coins

W2-Rainbow
Fingerz
260 coins

World 3

W3-1
Fingerz
1316 coins

W3-2
Fingerz
1104 coins

W3-3
Fingerz
500 coins

W3-Tower
Fingerz
488 coins

W3-4
Fingerz
515 coins

W3-Ghost House
Fingerz
418 coins

W3-5
Fingerz
1562 coins

W3-Castle
Fingerz
341 coins

W3-A
Fingerz
952 coins

W3-B
Fingerz
665 coins

W3-Cannon
Fingerz
181 coins

W3-Rainbow
Fingerz
381 coins

World 4

W4-1
Fingerz
1447 coins

W4-Ghost House
Fingerz
445 coins

W4-2
Fingerz
1100 coins

W4-Tower
Fingerz
555 coins

W4-3
Fingerz
1516 coins

W4-4
Fingerz
432 coins

W4-5
Fingerz
1017 coins

W4-Castle
Fingerz
737 coins

W4-A
Fingerz
685 coins

W4-B
Fingerz
846 coins

W4-C
Fingerz
936 coins

W4-Rainbow
Fingerz
272 coins

World 5

W5-1
Fingerz
1281 coins

W5-2
Fingerz
1580 coins

W5-3
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1556 coins

W5-Tower
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410 coins

W5-4
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1284 coins

W5-5
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1317 coins

W5-6
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934 coins

W5-Castle
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408 coins

W5-Ghost House
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368 coins

W5-A
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978 coins

W5-Rainbow
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296 coins

World 6

W6-1
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394 coins

W6-Ghost House
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482 coins

W6-2
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787 coins

W6-3
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799 coins

W6-Tower
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353 coins

W6-4
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359 coins

W6-5
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350 coins

W6-Bowser's Castle
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550 coins

W6-A
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500 coins

W6-B
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837 coins

W6-Rainbow
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293 coins

World Mushroom

W Mushroom-1
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1265 coins

W Mushroom-2
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503 coins

W Mushroom-Ghost House
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474 coins

W Mushroom-3
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924 coins

W Mushroom-Castle
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474 coins

W Mushroom-A
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960 coins

W Mushroom-B
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629 coins

W Mushroom-Cannon
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192 coins

W Mushroom-Rainbow
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365 coins

World Flower

W Flower-1
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537 coins

W Flower-Ghost House
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573 coins

W Flower-2
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860 coins

W Flower-3
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1217 coins

W Flower-Castle
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1276 coins

W Flower-A
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753 coins

W Flower-B
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653 coins

W Flower-Cannon
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167 coins

W Flower-Rainbow
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276 coins

World Star

W Star-1
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2040 coins

W Star-2
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531 coins

W Star-3
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977 coins

W Star-4
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432 coins

W Star-5
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510 coins

W Star-6
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688 coins

W Star-7
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2029 coins

W Star-Castle
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339 coins

W Star-Rainbow
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295 coins

[Notes:]

Hi guys! I was hoping if you could help me! I've just finished arranging a version of Throwback Galaxy from Super Mario Galaxy 2 for my Stage Band at school and I need as many people as possible to check whether it's good enough to play. Here's some of the things I hope you can help me with:

Notes: I'm pretty sure these are all right! If anything is slighty wrong, it could be the harmonies between different parts.
Chords: I've tried my hardest to make sure the chords for the guitar are correct, but my knowledge of obscure chords is limited so if I could use a better chord symbol, let me know!
Rythm: This should be alright. I decided to write the piece out in funk as my music director said it sounds more like funk than a fast swing. I've put down a basic beat for the guitar and drums as a guideline only. If you have any ideas how I can improve the piano part rythm for the part where the saxes have their soli, I would be grateful!
Notation: I just need this checked so I don't have any notes/rests obscuring the beat or anything else illegal like that.
Balance: I've never done anything like this before, so I'm not sure if I've balanced all the parts out well. Could someone who's had experience with this look over it for me? Thanks!
Dynamics: I'm not entirely sure about these either, so if someone could help me out here, thanks!
Articulation: I've made sure there's plenty of articulation in this arrangement, but not too much as to annoy the reader. If someone could just make sure I haven't gone overboard that'd be great!
Ending: I actually like the idea of what some other guy did for his ending on his arrangement of Throwback Galaxy for a stage band. I didn't like anything else though. If you could just make sure the ending wraps up nicely and works well, that'd be great! Also, if you have any other ideas for an ending, let me know!

And that's about it! If you have any major ideas which could improve this greatly, please tell me! I want to make this as good as possible! Also, refrain from listening to it too much. It sounds crap when it's not being played by a proper stage band! Below is a link to my arrangement and a YouTube video of the actual song! Thanks everyone!

Arrangement: Throwback!!

[Super Mario Kart]

Hi all! I'm trying to collect all the Mario Kart games from the series and I'm having trouble finding a few of them to buy:

Super Mario Kart for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Mario Kart: Super Circuit for the Game Boy Advance
Mario Kart: Double Dash!! for the Nintendo GameCube

I don't have a credit card, so I can't buy over the internet! SO, if you know anyone who would be interested in selling me these games, I'll gladly pay them for their expenses.

[Pipit]

We need this topic. There are characters in games that are so WTF that they require a public bagging. Here are my two from the game I'm playing at the moment.

Pipit from The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Okay, this guy made me laugh so hard I had to take multiple trips to the restroom close by (in the game; yes, they have a restroom in this game). First off, his voice: whoever voiced him needs a medal for how bad he sounds! He sounds half constipated! Secondly, his face: man does he look funny! He's wearing makeup and just the way he's been put together is so damn creepy. Lastly, his pants don't suit him and he clasps his hands together. Personally, I just want to stab him with my sword. End of story.

Groose from The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Okay, this guy made me laugh. The fact that he's clearly missing a brain and the lack of hair sense is just the beginning - I couldn't help but comment on his 'do' when I could. Alright, Groose is just freaky. The fact that he looks like he's 20+ and wants to have a 'special moment' with Zelda is slightly confronting... Groose is just hilarious!

Alright! What about all you out there? Share your stuff!

Let's play I spy with the forums! It can be an object, person, anything!

I spy with my little eye... something round and yellow.

Let's start. XD

1

I've done this before and it's been hilarious!
Using Google Translate or whatever you want to use, type up and English sentence or paragraph (not too long)and translate it to another language. The next person has to translate it and try figure out the original meaning.
I'll start:

ãƒ"ーã,¿ãƒ¼ãƒ'ã,¤ãƒ'ーは、é...¢æ¼¬ã'å"è¾›å­ã®ã,­ã,¹ã,'選ã,"だã€,
ãƒ"ã,¯ãƒ«ã,¹ãƒ"ーマンãƒ"ーã,¿ãƒ¼ãƒ'ã,¤ãƒ'ーのã,³ãƒ,,ã,³ãƒ,,つつく音はãƒ"ッã,¯ã,¢ãƒƒãƒ—ã€,
ãƒ"ーã,¿ãƒ¼ãƒ'ã,¤ãƒ'ーは、é...¢æ¼¬ã'å"è¾›å­ã®ã,­ã,¹ã,'選ã,"だ場合、
ãƒ"ã,¯ãƒ«ã,¹ãƒ"ーマンãƒ"ーã,¿ãƒ¼ãƒ'ã,¤ãƒ'ーのペッã,¯ã¯ã©ã"にãƒ"ッã,¯ã,¢ãƒƒãƒ—は？

[WORK IS NOW IN PROGRESS!]

Hi everyone!

I've recently decided I'd like to arrange the arrangement of Yoko Shimomura's Tetris - Type A from Super Smash Bros Brawl (which in itself is an arrangement of an arrangement of a nineteenth-century Russian folk song) for my Senior Band at school. I was planning to do this myself, but I thought it would be a whole lot more fun if any of you wanted to help me so it's as good as it can be (and accurate ).

I've never done anything this big before, so even if you don't want to help me, advice is always welcome. Also, I really don't care how much you want to contribute, even if it's just a couple of bars!

Thank you all and I hope you will consider helping me wth this daunting task.

WORK IS NOW IN PROGRESS!
TETRIS TYPE A
Bars 1 - 28 completed!
Check it out here!

[without cheating]

Well, I was at a party over the weekend and I thought I'd arrange this to annoy everyone.

I'd like to play a game with it. If you can tell me how many times this song repeats without cheating, you can think of a reward I have to do/give you. Good luck!

[Dusk Forest - Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky]

I'm sure all of us start arranging a song and regret it soon after starting. I'd like to hear about the hardest song you've arranged, why it was hard and how you overcame the problem (or something like that). Did you finish the song? RageQuit? Get help? LET'S HERE IT!
If you've got more than one, that's fine too.

Here's mine:
Dusk Forest - Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky
By far the hardest song I've arranged at the time. It was the 4th song I was going to arrange in my career and it took me a month and a half to finish. The song had a heavy use of chords, and at that time I had little experience with them. I had no trouble with most of the right hand, it was straight forward. The left hand was my problem. I had to figure out all those bloody chords! Pretty much, everyday I worked on that song I went back and check those chords everyday, changing them slightly so they sounded CORRECT! *Sigh*... that song was so damn time consuming and I'm happy the song turned out well. If it didn't I'd kill someone.

[something in bold]

Well people, I've had an idea!

I'm planning to create a Wikidot site where NSM members can join and are given each a page to upload their arrangements. It's easy to upload, very quick and when people want to download 'em from here, there's no waiting time! Basically, you guys can upload your files with ease at any time! My arrangements are already up on my site, but I'm going to make one that only NSM members can join.

So, how about it? For this to go ahead, I would like a decent number of people who are willing to do this. Just post something in bold that will let me know if you're interested.

If you have any questions regarding this project, feel free to ask! Thanks!

Just thought of this before whilst browsing the web, went onto http://v4.tamatown.com/tamaok.html and nearly cried at the sound of that beautiful theme song. If anyone out there knows where I can download this theme song, I'll arrange it! PLEASE HELP!

[The Forbidden Talent]

Hi guys!
I wrote this a week ago for an assignment in English and I'd like some feedback on it. Tell me what you think! Hope you enjoy it!
Here are the pronunciations for the names of people, places and weapons in my story. These names are made-up, so don’t be too concerned if you can’t pronounce them properly.

Linó Guõ (LEEN-oh-GYU-oh)
Koú Popãun (CORE-poor-PARN)
Chaŕ Demĭ (CHAR-de-MY)
Niŕ Gargùor (NER-gar-GYU-or)
Slytheïnbeôark (SLY-veen-BOW-arc)
Pïccoló (PEEK-oh-low)
KlÅ'rnino (claw-NEE-noh)
Ělmiradiān (EL-mer-AH-dee-arn)
Antedïluguõ (an-teh-DIL-loo-GYU-oh)
Espíritu (es-PUR-IT-oo)
Mount Koruptâs (cor-RUP-tahs)
Petula Sprout (pet-YOU-lah-sprout)
Hooknart Tree (HOOK-nart-tree)
Worběnjóurk (WORE-ben-jork)
Crawfüstāgh (craw-FAST-ah)
Rapilanză (rap-pil-LAN-zah)

The Forbidden Talent - by Joel Hands-Otte

It never used to be the way it is now, my son. The world use to be a benevolent and impartial place, though my mind fails to remember it. Son, what I’m going to tell you is exceedingly hazardous if it falls into the wrong hands. Promise me you won’t tell anyone and only use the information to your advantage. Are you ready?
Back when I was a boy, the world of Espíritu was a place of tranquillity and prosperity. One of the reasons why it was so prosperous was because of the natural gift we Ělmiradiāns were born with: being able to comprehend emotions and thoughts through our eyes. This allowed us to explore the emotions of other creatures and our own kin. We used this power to help cure many sicknesses, stop fighting and anticipate what enemies were planning. But, with this wonderful talent, we were a beacon of light to many envious creatures.
One day during the middle of a bitter winter, we were attacked by a ghost-like race of creatures called the Slytheïnbeôark. They came without warning, swarming like an army of hungry bees, riding the powerful torrents of air flowing over the mountains. They were unstoppable; their eyes filled with the darkest of evil, and their minds; a barrier so strong we were unable to penetrate it with our ability. Within two days, our entire kingdom was captured. Within six days, Antedïluguõ was the only populated town still standing.
To stop the extinction of our race, our Great Elder, Niŕ Gargùor, made an agreement with the Slytheïnbeôark. The agreement was that we were to be stripped of our talent so we could no longer use it, and if anyone was born with that talent they would be killed immediately. In recognition of the agreement, a stone was positioned in the centre of town. If that stone ever shatters, it will surely mean the downfall of us all.
No Ělmiradiāns have ever been born with the talent, except for one. That individual is you, my son. You must make sure you use your ability to your advantage and never let your enemies discover you have it.
We have to go now, my son. When we return, we will have a feast to celebrate our success. Please look after your sister while we’re gone. Remember, stay hidden, stay safe. We love you…

***

Snapping himself bolt upright, Linó Guõ sat in his bed, breathing heavily. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he recalled the dream that had occurred, which indeed resembled a memory. He gathered all his strength and scrambled out of bed. Shuffling towards the windowsill and letting his eyes adjust to the light, Linó Guõ examined the surroundings encircling the village.
Taking in the scenery, he noticed all the buildings were remarkably close to each other, making it harder for enemies to penetrate. The only area that wasn’t protected was the centre of the town where the stone was located. Scanning further into the distance, he could see the fields occupied by friendly residents, KlÅ'rninos. All sleeping next to their calves, they looked peaceful. Gazing further off towards the edge of town, the untouched fields were filled with Petula Sprouts, glowing from the fluorescent lights illuminating from the holes in the Hooknart Tree. Linó Guõ found these the most peculiar of flowers, because they faintly resembled eyes.
“As the first rays of sun shine upon them, their fuchsia-coloured bulbs will expand until they open, presenting a delicate string of tiny flowers surrounding the most complex blossom structure in the entire flora kingdom. Many paintings have been depicted of this flower, but none have ever matched half of its beauty. When open, the Petula Sprout’s blossom reflects the sun’s light in so many angles it wasn’t thought possible,” he recited from an old parchment he’d stolen from inside the Great Elder’s domain.
Linó Guõ turned his attention to the moon, lighting up the murky darkness with a luminous glow. He chuckled for a moment, picturing the moon as a parent keeping a close eye on its children, the Petula Sprouts.
Before returning to bed, he decided to check on his sister, Koú Popãun, whom was sleeping. Sitting by her side, he realised how much both of them looked alike. Delicate yet strong elfin features were prominent in both of them, inherited from their mother and father. Their eyes were the same colour; a ghostly light blue that no one else in the village had ever been born with. Even through eyelids, he could still see into her eyes; calm and peaceful. Linó Guõ leaned over and started stroking her long, silky black hair.
“It’s been almost seven years since you went missing, mother and father. I’ve kept her safe for when you return home. If anything happens to her, I’ll never forgive myself. I love you.” Linó Guõ was interrupted by an ear-splitting scream that was so loud it pierced the heavens.
“BETRAYAL!”
While trying to erase the word that just permanently imprinted itself into his mind, Linó Guõ felt something clutch his hand. In alarm, he looked down at his hand, realising that it was his sister; her eyes brimming with fear.
“Was that you who made that noise, Koú Popãun?” he asked sternly.
“I think so, Linó Guõ. I didn’t mean to wake you,” she said softly.
“I’m more concerned about you waking up the entire town. You should know not to be so loud,” Linó Guõ scoffed. When realising that his sister wasn’t amused, he added, “Do not worry. I will tell everyone you were having a nightmare, though it is an odd word to yell out when having one. Enjoy the rest of your night’s sleep and wake up tomorrow refreshed, okay?”
“Okay. Goodnight.” Koú Popãun sniffed irritably, and then rolled over ready to return to her dreams. Linó Guõ clambered soundlessly back into his bed. Before surrendering to sleep, a dreaded feeling overcame him. You haven’t heard the last of that word… Pushing the thoughts out of his mind, Linó Guõ yawned, and welcomed the loss of his vision.

***

While scanning the pathways between the rows of houses, Linó Guõ felt a wave of emotions swelling up inside him. Thinking desperately back to this morning, he tried to conjure an image of the whereabouts of Koú Popãun.
“Koú Popãun! Koú Popãun! Where are you?” he yelled at the top of his voice. Linó Guõ thought it would be wise to ask the Great Elder, though he hadn’t seen him rise yet. Jogging through the deserted back-lanes, he made his way towards his destination.
Upon arriving, he was surprised to find the Great Elder standing out the front of his house, almost as if expecting him. Linó Guõ was amazed at how he presented himself, even at his old age. His thin, wispy hair shone brightly in the sunlight, casting a shadow over the rest of his old, wrinkled face. His long, royal tunic snaked down his body, reaching out to touch the earth with its very tips. Strangely, his eyes were a fiery red, filled with anger and hatred from past wars and battles. As Linó Guõ approached, he could feel the Great Elder’s eyes exploring his mind, looking through his thoughts and emotions.
“Niŕ Gargùor, have you seen my little sister today?” he asked, deliberately forgetting to address the Great Elder properly.
A creaky, rusty voice that had been neglected for centuries replied, “No, Linó Guõ, I have not seen Koú Popãun today. I suggest you check the centre of the town, for I can see you haven’t checked there yet.” Having said that, and knowing all too well he’d caused Linó Guõ much discomfort, he turned around and walked briskly towards the outer paddocks of town.
Linó Guõ began walking towards the town centre; eyes glazed, trying to apprehend what Niŕ Gargùor had said. Along the way he was disturbed by a low, gravelly voice emitted from his right. Without even having to turn his head, Linó Guõ immediately recognised whose voice it was and could sense their emotions.
“Chaŕ Demĭ, how are you? You are sounding slightly irritated and concerned. Is anything bothering you?” Linó Guõ asked, as he turned to face the blacksmith. Chaŕ Demĭ was busy hammering out the shape of a sword, which would eventually become a Worběnjóurk.
Standing over seven feet tall, he was the tallest Ělmiradiān to ever live, and had a colossal build to top it off. Chaŕ Demĭ’s thick, bushy eyebrows partially covered his harsh, bronze eyes glaring directly at Linó Guõ, hinting amusement and exasperation.
“You are bothering me, Linó Guõ. You have also forgotten, I see?” Chaŕ Demĭ inquired. Linó Guõ stood there dumbfounded, trying to figure out what he could’ve forgotten to make Chaŕ Demĭ this amused.
“I cannot remember anything that I have forgotten, my friend.”
The blacksmith laughed silently in amusement. “Forgetting what you have forgotten? That is a new feat accomplished by none other than Linó Guõ himself,” he said winking. “Let me refresh your memory.” Chaŕ Demĭ bent down and picked up two weapons.
“I believe these are what you have forgotten,” he said, handing them over to Linó Guõ. “Here is your sword, a WorbÄ›njóurk, and also your spear, a Rapilanză. Don’t try these out on your sister or any of the KlÅ'rninos.” Linó Guõ thanked him for his weapons, attached them to his belt and started walking away towards the town centre before ChaÅ• DemÄ­ called out to him, his eyes showing he was concerned about a new event.
“You see those black clouds rolling over the mountains?” he asked in a low voice.
“Yes,” replied Linó Guõ hesitantly.
Chaŕ Demĭ swallowed hard, then continued. “They only just appeared. You know what this means, right?”
“I get free practise with my new weapons?”
A sigh could be heard from next to him. “Don’t be an idiot, Linó Guõ. Get your sister and hide, because the Slytheïnbeôark are coming.” Chaŕ Demĭ gave him a harsh shove, yelling, “Go, get her now, before it’s too late!”
Seeing the terror in his eyes was enough for Linó Guõ. He knew what was going to happen. As he raced towards the town centre, he eyed the clouds with curiosity as they soared closer and closer, like an eagle hunting its prey.
Koú Popãun was sitting in front of the stone when Linó Guõ arrived. She was crying, clearly in a distressed state of mind. He put a hand on her shoulder, before realising what was terribly wrong.
“It’s broken…”
The words struck Linó Guõ in the face, bringing on a feeling of dread and death. The stone was sliced cleanly down the middle. One of the halves had fallen over, leaving the earth underneath to consume sunlight. It looked as though someone had come up to it with a Crawfüstāgh and sliced it in half.
“I don’t know how it broke. I just arrived here and found it like this. All of a sudden, I felt very sad and distressed,” Koú Popãun exclaimed through sobs.
Linó Guõ said urgently, “We have to go now, sister, before the Slytheïnbeôark arrive. Before it’s too late…” As if on cue, the sun retreated behind the clouds, casting a shadow over the entire town. Both of them looked up, staring straight up into a swirling, sinister mass of darkness. Eyes widened, Linó Guõ felt an icy presence creep up from behind him.  A voice brought down to a whisper was barely audible.
“Guess who?”
Pulling the Worběnjóurk from his belt, Linó Guõ spun around to face his attacker, surprised to find it wasn’t there. The whisper was heard again, but from behind him, where Koú Popãun was sitting.
“They really haven’t taught you a thing about us, have they? If you think you can hurt a ghost with a sword, you’re just plain stupid.” Whirling around again, Linó Guõ saw who his attacker was, and was shocked to find it wasn’t one, but many. All of them were giant, shadowy blobs with little arms that looked like they belonged to a teddy bear. Their mouths were like a group of menacing black holes, ready to suck anything out of orbit. What startled Linó Guõ was their eyes; filled with the darkest of evil, like a smaller version of hell.
The only word that escaped from his mouth was, “Slytheïnbeôark.”
All the shadowy creatures started laughing, and one of them replied, “This guy’s a genius! Your reward is we take your sister off your hands, free of charge. You like that?” Two of them picked up Koú Popãun, who was trying to break free from their ghostly grip. With one last scream, she was swiftly carried away into the dark mass of clouds above. The rest of the Slytheïnbeôark took to the sky, becoming a part of the cloud, except for one, undersized and upset, that kept hovering around the stone.
Pouncing in front of the Slytheïnbeôark, and startling it, Linó Guõ asked in a menacing tone, “What have you done with my sister? If you harm her, I will kill all of you pests!” The Slytheïnbeôark made a whimpering sound, even though its eyes remained a fiery red. Linó Guõ studied the creature, taking in its features, and felt a sense of respect for the creature. Its breathing was seeping out in wheezy rasps, and a large laceration on the side of its body showed signs of harsh punishment.
Linó Guõ changed his tone of voice and asked politely, “Could you please tell me where the others of your clan took my sister? I would like to have her back, if I may.” Slytheïnbeôark hovered closer towards Linó Guõ, stopping an inch before his face. Both of them were eye-to-eye. Suddenly, its eyes transformed. They melted into a plush, round shape filled with a huge diversity of shades of blue. The barricade to the Slytheïnbeôark’s mind was lowered, allowing Linó Guõ entry to its thoughts and emotions. A wave of sorrow overcame him.
“You’ve been tormented into doing all this, haven’t you. I can feel it. All this time we have thought your race was evil, but we have now been proven wrong. Some tyrant has enslaved your entire race, and you have been bent to his every whim,” he said thoughtfully. “If you help me rescue my sister, I will free your race from enslavement.”
The Slytheïnbeôark bowed in respect and then replied in a childish tone, “I will keep you to your word, my friend. My name is Pïccoló. It is an honour to meet someone as nice as you.”
Linó Guõ bowed as well and then said, “My name is Linó Guõ. I am deeply sorry for threatening you before, but I must take all measures.”
 â€œYour apology is accepted. I will transport us to our sacred lair, Mount Koruptâs, so you can free my people. Please close your eyes so we can leave.” Pïccoló instructed. Linó Guõ closed his eyes and embraced the odd sensation of teleportation.

***

When he reopened his eyes, he was amazed by the alteration of scenery. They were hidden in a crevice behind a wall which lead on to a large area, presumably the main cavern. Thick, gluggy lava was oozing from the fissures in the rock formations, and the cavern was unpleasantly warm. A voice could be overheard from the other side of the wall obscuring their view.
“We have caught the boy’s sister! When he comes in search of her, you can kill him, our master,” expressed a voice that resembled a Slytheïnbeôark. Linó Guõ spun around to face Pïccoló, concerned with what the Slytheïnbeôark had announced. Pïccoló was trying to stifle a laugh.
“Do not worry, my friend. We have all adapted to become excellent actors since our enslavement. Do not pay heed to what my brothers and sisters say,” he said with a grin. “Let us continue with our quest.” Linó Guõ pressed his head against the wall to overhear what else the Slytheïnbeôark were saying.
A creaky, rusty voice that had been neglected for centuries rose above all the other voices and declared, “Tonight, my minions, we will feast on victory! The very last Ělmiradiān to have the talent, except for me, will be destroyed, along with his sister! World domination is in our hands!” The Slytheïnbeôarks roared with triumph.
Pïccoló sniffed and wiped a tear out of the corner of his globular eyes, whispering, “They’re crying, all of them. They know he’ll win, no matter what. We have to get you out of here…” Linó Guõ stood as still as a statue, frozen with fear. Memories and events swirled around inside his head, mixing and matching until they detonated like a bomb, leaving a singed image sprawled across his entire conscience.
“Niŕ Gargùor is the tyrant who enslaved your race. He must have discovered the Slytheïnbeôarks a long time ago, and then enslaved you all. Then he destroyed the entire Ělmiradiān population, except for our town, which instead had their talent stripped from them. This is all part of his plan. I have to stop him!” Linó Guõ exclaimed. He examined his surroundings and uncovered the entrance to the main cavern. With one quick glance at Pïccoló, he jumped out from behind the wall, landing in plain sight of all the Slytheïnbeôark and Niŕ Gargùor.
“Linó Guõ! What are you doing? They will see you!” cried Pïccoló desperately as he tried to pull Linó Guõ back into the depths of the crevice. A haughty laugh wafted down from the front of the cavern where Niŕ Gargùor was sitting. The entire cavern was filled with cascading, ruby-red waterfalls plummeting down into the earth. A colossal gold-plated throne was positioned at the end of the cavern, right before a sheer drop down into the centre of Mount Koruptâs, spewing lava high into the sky like a cauldron bubbling.
Niŕ Gargùor bent forward in his throne, thrust his staff in Linó Guõ’s direction and queried, “Do you seriously think I would be that insolent, Pïccoló? Both of you have been standing behind that wall for a good while now. My speech was set up to lure you out from behind there; I could sense your minds the instant you arrived.” Both Linó Guõ and Pïccoló hesitantly walked up the pathway, stopping ten feet away from the throne. Pointing his index finger at Niŕ Gargùor, he spat out one word, deliberately emphasising each syllable.
“Betrayal.”
Niŕ Gargùor’s face crinkled up into a snarl. “I betrayed our race?” he hissed as he pointed an accusing finger at himself. “I was merely cleaning out the filth. I will not stop until all of what is left of the Ělmiradiān race bows down before me, begging for mercy!” Linó Guõ felt a ball of energy building up inside him, ready to consume anything in his path.
“You killed my parents, you monster!” he hollered at the top of his voice. Niŕ Gargùor smiled, his eyes beaming widely.
“Well done, m’ boy. After all these years you have finally come to your senses. I killed them because they tried to stop me, just as you are trying to today.” He held out his gnarled hand, as if seeking assistance. “So, what do you say? Would you like to be my successor? You can become the king of Espíritu!” Linó Guõ stepped forward, holding his ground.
“I will not join you, for the sake of the Slytheïnbeôark, my sister and our race,” he said solemnly. Niŕ Gargùor sighed, reaching for an object fastened to the back of his tunic.
“I hoped it wouldn’t come to this,” he said, lifting a shimmering Worběnjóurk over his head, positioning himself ready for battle. “Just as I did to the stone of agreements and your parents, I will slice you cleanly in half!”
“I don’t think that will be necessary, Niŕ Gargùor,” replied a gravelly voice. Linó Guõ whirled around to find the entire village standing behind Chaŕ Demĭ, who was holding onto his younger sister. His eyes beamed underneath the thick, bushy forest of eyebrows. “We asked the residents around here to take us on a grand tour. You have quite a nice place here, I must admit.”
“All of you are here; this makes it easier now. Slytheïnbeôark, destroy them!” Niŕ Gargùor roared.
One of the Slytheïnbeôark hovered towards his throne, stopping next to Pïccoló, and announced, “We are not your minions, nor are we going to watch you win this battle.” Niŕ Gargùor watched in horror as his entire army of Slytheïnbeôarks became one with the army of Ělmiradiāns. All of them cheered, bellowing forth a battle cry.
He shifted in front of his throne uncomfortably before saying, “So be it. I will fight you all.” Chaŕ Demĭ laughed heartily.
“Do you think we would come unprepared? We have the greatest weapon of all.” He turned around to the army behind him and whispered something. All of them nodded and closed their eyes. Linó Guõ felt his mind flood with thoughts.
On the count of three, jump. When Niŕ Gargùor is stunned, throw your Rapilanză at him. Ready? One… Two… Three!
In unison, the Slytheïnbeôarks and Ělmiradiāns jumped into the air, only to come crashing down onto the cold, hard rock. Their impact was enough to make the cavern shake. Niŕ Gargùor lost his balance and toppled towards the edge of the cavern, dangerously close to the lava pit. Linó Guõ grasped his Rapilanză, took aim and shot it directly at the Great Elder’s chest. The slender spear, sliced through the air until it hit its target.
Niŕ Gargùor looked down and was stunned to find a spear protruding from his chest. Linó Guõ watched him, glimpsing the terror in his eyes before he admitted defeat, falling backwards into the fiery pit. Koú Popãun raced up to Linó Guõ and gave him a loving hug.
“You did it, big brother! You beat the bad guy!” she whispered, yawning from the day’s events. Linó Guõ stroked her long, silky black hair.
“Yes I did, sister. We can go home now. We can all go home.”

***

The wind blew across Linó Guõ’s cheeks as he beamed, looking out upon the peaceful town. The stone of agreements was gone, replaced by a beautiful bird pond. Koú Popãun was playing hopscotch with Pïccoló. Many Slytheïnbeôark were to be seen; now store holders and peace-keepers of the town. Chaŕ Demĭ lumbered out of his forge, welcoming the new light. Children crowded around him, bowed in respect and raced off to play again, leaving him with a sheepish grin on his face.
Linó Guõ stared up into the sky, examining the blazing sun shining down onto the Petula Sprouts, watching them reflect the light in numerous directions. He noticed the moon, far off on the horizon, ready to sleep for the day. Looking down at Koú Popãun, he chuckled, picturing the sun and the moon as parents, embracing their children, the Petula Sprouts.

THE END