Chapter Six

Redd twisted the knob to his apartment door. He had thought about visiting his family, but he wanted to catch up a few things before he did that. HIs door was at the top of the steps but the stubborn old door refused to open.
"Stupid door." He said, "Can't a guy get in his own place."
He began to ram the door with his shoulder until it gave way. When the door suddenly did, Redd had to swing his arms to keep from falling over.
"Well, I didn't break my nose." Redd said, remembering a pretty bad incident one of the first days he moved in, "Home sweet home." He slammed the door behind him but still the door swung back open, now refusing to close. Redd sighed and repeated his technique on this side of the door.
Finally it shut itself and Redd turned back to his single room studio. It had really only the basics, and it was originally just a single large room with one extra room for the bathroom. Since Redd moved in, he put up fake walls to divide off areas; the kitchen, the bedroom, and the t.v. room.
Redd put his coat on a peg in the wall to his right of the front door, and thought about getting a cup of nectar from the kitchen. He barely took a step with something slid across the floor from his foot.
"Well what do we have here?" He asked reaching down. It was a small silver envelope with a single leaf design on both the back and the front.
"It looks like I have mail." He said, "And at least it's not from that lonely guy who wants to meet me. Stupid spam." He flipped the envelope around to find an address but there was nothing.
"Weird. I don't know anyone who would send me this." Using his index finger he tore open the top and unfolded the letter within.
"'When all has failed, and life deserted you!'" Redd began, "'When your gods of Pikmin have been made a sham.'" Redd stopped and rolled his eyes.
"Great, a cult group letter."
He was tempted to throw it away when something caught his eye; the words "silver-skinned Goddess".
"'Turn to the one true mother of the Pikmin race! The silver-skinned Goddess herself given us a glimpse to a new tomorrow. A tomorrow that brings with it the promises of many and the future of many more!'"
Redd felt his heart stop for a moment.
"Silver? Could she be the one I saw out in the forest?" He read the bottom of the note and added, "There is a gathering in the Wistful Wood, just across the ocean. I wonder if I should go or not."
Everyone knew the main religion of the Pikmin was of an ancient race of giants who created the Pikmin. There were so large that even the biggest Purple Pikmin barely matched their thumbs. Redd didn't really believe in this religion because of the sheer size of the race. How could Pikmin have been born from such large creatures? But Redd had to follow what his father always said; to each their own.

Yellow was going to head home but the encounter with Roy only made her nervous. "What if he is following me?" She asked herself nervously, then decided she was going to walk around for a bit. Eventually, her path lead her to a popular spot for the community, especially the younger Pikmin:
The Nightbulb.
It was a bar that specialized different berry drinks and nectars so patrons could get a nice buzz. Yellow herself was not proud to admit going home with her leaf lit up like the Onions during ceremonies a few times.
The small square grey building wasn't in the best part of town though, so Spore dealers crept in now and again. Thinking about this, Yellow wondered if it was a bad idea going here: Roy could be following.
"Roy wouldn't try anything here," She assured herself, "Some of the best people in town run the Nightbulb." She trusted the owners with her life, she knew they wouldn't let anything truly bad happen to anyone.
Assured that she was safe here, Yellow pushed open the double doors and took a deep breath. The bar had just opened for the night so the place was most likely empty.
Yellow had been wrong though.
The place was packed with Pikmin of all shapes, sizes, and colors filling up every available space, even a few flying in the air. A group of white and purple Pikmin were around a few tables and cheering on their friends who were competing in arm wrestling contests. Poor white Pikmin. And the biggest thing to note was that every single Pikmin had a drink in their hands.
Through the crowd, Yellow noticed an empty chair and sat down. She turned away from the bar and looked around the noisy, fun-loving group. Her youth had been filled with this sort of activity. She would come in with friends, have a good time, then wake up in someone else's bed or couch, with the other person passed out half in the toilet.
She wasn't too proud of her old life, and on more than one occasion wondered how she lived through it.
"Well, I haven't seen you in a while." Someone said from behind the bar.
Yellow turned around but already knew who was talking: William.
"William! Hi!" She said when she turned around. She could feel her face flush when she saw the bartenders face. He was a white Pikmin with ruby eyes that could see right into you, almost literally. He stood there over the counter cleaning a glass with a rag like a classic bartender would do.
"How is it going?" He asked and Yellow immediately replied, "Me? I'm fine, just fine! How about you?" She hated when she got like this, she always ended up looking like a stammering fool.
"I've been alright." He replied but something in the way he said it stopped Yellows giddiness and made her wonder what was wrong.
A few moments passed before anyone said anything, and it was Yellow asking, "Anything new?"
William looked around a bit and, almost as if ignoring her tended to the other patrons at the counter, then said something to the other bartender, another white one then came back.
"Got a minute, it's a bit noisy in here." William asked Yellow.
"Uh, sure. Do you want to go outside?" Yellow asked and William simply nodded.
Yellow stood up and William walked down the counter till he pushed open the half door. The floor behind the counter was much taller than the main floor, because the bartenders were white Pikmin so they were much smaller than everyone else. When William took off his apron and hopped down the lower floor, Yellow had forgotten how small William was. His bud on his head only reached her forehead.
He looked at her and simply asked, "What? Something on my face?"

Chapter Four

The three Onions took to the air and this time didn't stay in the same area, instead they leaned toward the setting sun, and began their journey to the great Pikmin City. Blue took in a heavy, water-filled sigh and retrieved a pen from it's cup on the wall. His Onion was entirely filled with water to help make his kind, the blue Pikmin, more comfortable. To Blue it was fine, but to others it was deadly. Blue began to write down in the blank, binded book and said, "In order to continue our race..." He had decided not too long ago to work on a book, sort of an autobiography, where he detailed his life so other Pikmin could live and grow even after he is gone. "I was sprouted the same as the rest, from a blue Onion under the command of my mother, who raised me and my 14000 collected siblings the best she could during her life. I was one of the few who survived into adulthood, and having been born in the time of flightless Onions, that is no small feat. I am several decades my comrades senior, but I am glass they don't loose respect for me because of that." blue sat there and wrote for a few more hours filling twenty to thirty pages with his words and thoughts, then stood up and checked on their positions. "Only a few more hours till we arrive." He said looking to the panel, "I'll see you soon Blossom." That morning, the Onions one by one extended their landing legs and landed on a large silver platform that stuck out from the side of a mountain. "Kay, we're here." yellow said feeling the fist shake form the Onion's legs landing, then a quick static discharge came from the console and then into a physical spark that passed into Yellow's hand who didn't really feel it. "Will that be all in your party?" A voice asked. "Yes." Yellow confirmed, then moments later, felt the platform begin to move toward the rock face. While the platform moved toward the mountain, the mountain began to open up and allowed the Onions to pass through. Once they were inside, the door they passed through closed back up and three cranes moved down onto the Onions, picking up the vessels in their three metal fingers. The Onions began to pull their legs in as they arrived in the docking pay and were gently placed in a row of multicolored Onions. When it was clear they were ready to leave, a beam of yellow light transported Yellow to the front of her Onion where she was greeted by both Blue and Redd. "I'll go check in with the Pikmin Council, you two will go speak with the Purple's and get the Onions worked on." Blue informed, "After that, it would be acceptable to visit with your families and friends." "So we get the rest of the day off huh?" Redd asked. Blue nodded his head. Yellow gave a smile and her ears perked up a bit, it felt like years since she was home last. Yellow had started working as a picker several years ago and spent most of her time outside of the City. She knew Redd didn't feel as homesick, this being his first year as a Picker, the ties from family weren't as strung out. Blue, on the other hand, had been doing this for many, many years, she wondered how he could keep sane being so far from his loved ones, and then, while at the City, still continue to work. Yellow sighed then looked to Redd, who had busied himself with a small toy he always had with him. "Ready?" She asked. Redd stopped examining his "Pik-man" action figure he got from his grandfather when he was young, and gave a small shrug while saying, "Whenever you are." The Purple Pikmin were, by far, the strongest guys around and handled all things labor wise, which included Onion maintenance and repair, and, thankfully, there was a small Purple Unit located in the docking bay. "Hey fellas!" Redd said when they got within earshot. The purples were all chatting with each other across from the Onion line all drinking nectar from cooler in the small break room. When Redd had called out, the larger one of the small group looked over and raised an eyebrow, then sighed. He took another sip of nectar and replied with a, "What do you need?" Redd's smile dropped at the tone he had been answered with and asked, "What did I do?" "Don't worry about him." A second purple said walking forward, "The name's Mech, what can I do for you?" Purple Pikmin all had the same basic features as every other Pikmin, a rounded body and a sprout from their head, but they had, of course, purple skin and string-like hair around their sprout. Mech was obviously proud of his hair, as it was longer than the others and pulled into a ponytail, it even seemed to shine from great care. The other purples had their hair cropped short and it was barely noticeable. "We just came back from Picking the Eastern Woods and in the mission we increased our seeds to almost max. We were wondering if you and your crew could help update our Onions?" Yellow asked. Mech crossed his arms and said, "Wouldn't it be easier to give the extra seeds to the care of the Council?" Redd shrugged his shoulders, "Sounds easier to me, but we're just following blue's orders." "Well, I have no problem workin' on them, you just need the expanion for the storage right? Or is there anything else we can do for you?" "Only if you think something does." Yellow replied. Mech smiled and stuck out a hand, "Consider it done." He said, then he shook hands with both Redd and Yellow. Yellow handed over the numbers of the Onions to Mech, they said their farewells, ready to see the City and their families. "Name." The Grey Pikmin said when Blue approached the desk. "Captain James Blue." Blue responded, "Primary leader of Picker Unit SM2001." After a moment on a holographic console, the grey receptionist said, "Captain Blue, you are cleared to report to the Council. Wait in the man meeting room, if you will." Blue walked past the desk and headed straight into the meeting room, a small room with a large table and several chairs. "How may I be of service?" A voice questioned, from a chair at the far end of the table. It was a grey Pikmin, noted for their wrinkled grey skin and yellow eyes, who had asked the question. The grey Pikmin were said to be the oldest and wisest Pikmin of all, though they were the weakest race. They assumed civil duties such as running the City and other non-dangerous duties. "I have come from a recent Picking mission and stumbled across something... different. I would like to present my report tot he Council and see what they have to add on my find." The grey Pikmin raised an eye ridge and asked, "What exactly did you find out there?" Blue stood a bit taller, though the memory of his blue Pikmin who was life was taken by that claw, buzzed angrily around his head. "A monster." He simply replied. "A monster? What do you mean by that?" The grey asked, a touch of nervousness edging his voice. "I'm not sure, that's what I wish to discuss with the Council. I think it may have to do with the old history." The Pikmin's forehead wrinkled in surprise. "If that's the case, we shall get you an audience as soon as possible." With that, they Grey Pikmin rose from his chair and led Blue through a small door on the side of the room.

Chapter Three

Blue tossed one Pikmin after another on the Fiery Bulborb. Usually the creature held it's name with skin releasing fire into the air around it. But today, it had fallen alseep in a small pond that put hose flames out.
Seizing the opportunity, Blue and his aquatic Pikmin attacked, first charing the rear, then attacked by throwing Pikmin on its back.
"Keep at it!" Blue yelled, encouraging the warriors on, "Watch out for its mouth!"
The monster chomped down at times after shaking the Pikmin off, but missed each time instead taking in a mouthful of muddy water.
With one final charge, the Fiery Bulborb felt the last hit and, giving a loud roar, fell into the water: dead.
Blue barely had enough troops to carry the meal home and ended up with only two followers who stood behind him awaiting their orders.
"Guess it's about time we head back." He said to the two soldiers.
Before he did though, Blue wanted to revisit the hole that he and Redd had taken shelter in.
"There's something in there..." He said, getting a weird feeling when he thought about it.
When the three of them made it to the hole under the root, Blue hopped in but was disappointed that there was nothing there, no hidden objects of passages, just a simple hole in the ground.
"Don't know why I thought something was here..." Blue started but was interrupted by a yell from his Pikmin. The leader gasped and pulled himself out of the hole where a creature he had never seen before was attacking. It was a long bodied creature similar to a Burrowing Snagret with three mechanical fingers in place of a head and beak. The body was silver and plated with the base somewhere in the ground and the rest attacking the Pikmin. Blue's Pikmin began to attack the base but it was obvious there was little effect on the monster. The fingers began to bend and twist then aimed at the Pikmin under it.
"Guys! Get back here!" Blue called then whistled. The troops stopped their attack and ran back toward Blue but the arm was faster than they were and in one quick swipe, it picked up one of the Pikmin into the three fingers, then a hole opened in the palm of the fingers.
"NO!" Blue yelled but it was too late, the fingers lifted toward the sky and dropped the Pikmin inside. The second Pikmin made it to Blue and the two ran off away from the mechanical monster, who at this point, retracted into the ground, as if it was never there.
"What the hell was that thing?" Blue asked to his remaining Pikmin. It just looked back with wide eyes and was flapping its gills.

"There was something out there." Blue said when he returned, yellow had arrived a bit before him and both she and Redd looked at him.
"What do you mean?" Yellow asked.
"I mean, there was a creature I have never seen before." Blue said then began to tell the story of the mechanical Snagret.
"It just snatched up a Pikmin like that?" Yellow questioned, "Are there more of them?"
"I don't know Yellow, but I think it is more important than ever to return to the City and not only group with the Purples for more space but also talk with the Greys about this creature."
"Sounds like a plan." Yellow said, "Should we get going? It's a long trip to get tot he City."
"True, we'd better get going." Blue said, then noticed Redd turn first, "Redd, you've been unusually quite."
Redd turned back around then said, "Been a lazy day..." and that was it.

Redd was lifted into the red Onion by the light beam under it and in the process of being lifted, began to shrink so he would fit better inside the craft. Inside the Red Onion the room's temperature was very high, more suited for the Red Pikmin who resided inside there. The other two Onions were suited for the type of Pikmin that lived there such as water in Blue's and electricity in Yellow's
The Onions also had a certain structure that were similar to each other. In the center of the Onion was the entrance room, were the Pikmin were held in clear boxes filled with special liquid that feed the army and kept them safe. Then there were four rooms that were connected to the enterance and included a bedroom, the control room, the kitchen, and a study room.
Redd felt comfortable in the Red Onion, it was his ship, it was his home. Redd sighed and entered the bedroom and laid down on the red and orange sheets on the small bed.
"There it is." Redd said and sat up to pick the photo from the ceiling. It was half of a picture with a single red Pikmin smiling with someone's hand on the Pikmin's shoulder. In the background of the picture was the original red Onion which was a simple, misshapen pod that sat on the ground. Redd heard that it had been destroyed long ago by a group of Bulborbs. That was the reason they put the legs on the newer Onions, to avoid another tragedy like that.
With a heavy sigh, Redd reached back up and stuck the photo back to the ceiling.
"I seek an answer grandpa." Redd said to the picture, "Who does that hand belong to?"