"Hmm...this is strange. Expert, are you sure you've given me the maps to the most accurate depection of the Mario Universe possible?" General Hightop asked.

"Yes. Everything should be up to date. Unless something's changed like somehow, Mario going to the moon." Expert said.1

"Well, either there's a game we've missed, or there's an unidentified planet in that universe." General Hightop said.

"Well the most recent game to my knowledge is Super Mario Galaxy 2 just being announced." Rob said.2

"Well regardless, if your whole thing with The HIves was any indication, you might be able to get the folks of this unidentified planet to agree to a pact with the UNA in some form of truce." General Hightop said. "Heck, do that and I'd have a hell of an easy time convicing the higher ups to give you your JHF." He added.

"Well that settles it then. Shall I come with?" Scootaloo asked. "It'd be nice to explore a planet that's not Earth." She added.

"We've decided to call our Earth, Prime Earth and the Earth that The Hives come from Alternate Earth. Helps keeps things straight." General Hightop said.

"I'll input that into my database. Which, I decided to make a portable version of with for Scootaloo." Expert said before giving Scootaloo a tablet.3

"Some kind of Tablet?" Scootaloo said before booting said tablet up.

Boot Up Sequence Initiated... A robotic voice said. Now initializing AI assistance program, code named D.E.C.A. AKA Digital Encyclopedic Computerized Assistant the voice added. Suddenly the screen glowed a bright orange. Boot up complete. The voice said before suddenly a face showed up on the screen.

"yawn Morning everyone. Today's my first day alive. Hi there. My name is D.E.C.A." A more feminine voice still computerized but close to an actual human's voice said as the face moved.

"Whoa! A real live talking AI program." General Hightop said.

"Sweet." Scootaloo said. "I'm going to call you Deca." She added.

There were question marks on the computerized face's eyes. "Didn't I just introduce myself as D.E.C.A.?" The AI asked.

"You got it wrong. I'm calling you Deca; meaning I'm not calling you by your acronym. I'm giving you an actual name name." Scootaloo said.

"Oh! I understand." The AI said.

"Is that, their face?" General Hightop asked.

"Yes." Expert said.

"Plus, Deca is a girl." Scootaloo said.

"I have no gender. I am an AI." Deca said.

"Yes you do. Well, now you do. I'm going to refer to you as a girl, so you better get used to it." Scootaloo said.

"Oh! That would make it easier for me to communicate with others and gather data. I shall update my interface systems." Deca said.

"It's quirky." Aaron said.

"Well, better teach the thing on the way to the Speedster, Scootaloo." Rob said.

"Sure." Scootaloo said.

"File found for Speedster." Deca said. "The Speedster is a formally decomissioned Space Shuttle that Rob repaired and improved upon to create the ultimate space travel machine. It is noted that all first time riders throw up after experiencing the ride. Not even Rob himself was immune to this fact." Deca said.

"That thing is surprisingly detailed." Aaron noted as Rob and Scootaloo left through the doors.

"Well I did make it." Expert said before suddenly Crusader appeared.

"Did you know where Rob is heading?" Crusader asked.

"Why yes, to a planet we just discovered." Aaron said.

"What are the cordinates?" Crusader asked. A printout of the cordinates were shown. "What are the odds?" Cruasder said and grabed a communication device and started tuning into the frequency.

Meanwhile, Rob and Scootaloo touched down on the planet. "Those crabs are Sidesteppers." Rob noted.

"Rob, this is Crusader calling. You need to forget any plans for peace with that planet right now." Crusader said.

"What's up Crusader?" Scootaloo asked.

"I just finished anaylizing where Dr. Krono went. He's on that planet already." Crusader said.

"Wait seriously?" Rob asked.

"I have no idea what's going to happen, but I noticed a file in Dr. Krono's registry; it said that as a final ultimatum, that scientist was going to hold the heirs to each area's hierarchy hostage in exchange for the planet's money." Crusader said.

"Blackmail and kidnapping...there has to be some sort of reason." Rob said.

"Wait...Dr. Krono did say that he's running out of time the last time we heard from it. But I have to ask just what did he mean by that?" Scootaloo asked.

"We'll have to ask him face to face. Hope your ready for an adventure." Rob said.

The duo managed to make it to the castle at the Beachside Area, where at the end of said castle, they faced a giant mechanical Sidestepper, and had to trick it into electrocuted itself.

"Dr. Krono's desperate. He wouldn't make something like that for no reason. I have a good feeling that these much more advanced robot designs are related to how exactly he's running out of time." Rob said.

"Your usually able to know exactly what it is with little information." Scootaloo said.

"I don't want to just guess. As this is the one time, I hope I'm wrong. Besides, to talk about it with a child...not the best idea." Rob said.

"...It's something serious, isn't it? I've noticed you try to downplay a lot of really serious things around me." Scootaloo said.

"Oh this is something serious alright. What I'm refusing to tell you right now, Scootaloo, is something far more serious then anything else I've ever tried to sugar coat before. It's something no child should ever have to think about. So that's why I want to be wrong for once. Because if I have to explain it...I shudder to think how you'd handle it." Rob said.

"...Dang. This must be pretty bad then. Let's just hope that whatever your thinking the reason is, is actually wrong then." Scootaloo said.

"That much, I will agree on." Rob said. Scootaloo heard Rob's thoughts. But at the same time, I can't help but worry. Can it really be something as serious as that of all things? is what Rob's thoughts were at that time as the duo proceeded through the castle and onto the next area after freeing the first captured royal.

Author's Note

1 - Yes I realize that this is a reference to Super Mario Oddessy, but I had this line written years before Super Mario Oddessy even came out. For context, I had this line made when I was playing Super Mario Galaxy 1.
2 - Yeah this should give you a good idea of just when Expert's line was written. So yeah, I'm not retconning that line.
3 - I did decide to introduce something early though. Read on.