Popple's Elemental Stone Deal/The Beetle Ball Contest

*(While in the forest still, Team Fantasy continued their trek when they sat down to relax)*

Applejack: No sign of that Beanbean creature so far.

Bowser: And I doubt we’ll find him and this ruby red sequoia tree faster.

Thunderlane: Don’t be so pessimistic, Bowser.

Figment: Yeah, Bowser! Remember my song?

*(He hums his song for a bit)*

Bowser: I know, but what does following your heart and dreams have to do with overcoming impossible things?

Figment: Everything. That’s what.

Bowser: Again, how?

Peach: Well, what Figment is trying to say is that overcoming impossible things by following your heart and dreams helps you boost your confidence and never doubt anything at all.

Daisy: And you can take that to the bank.

Bowser: Yeah, well, I honestly don’t think it’s true.

Team Fantasy: What?

Bowser: As much as I don’t want to say it, but I wouldn’t wait to see your faces when impossible things can’t be accomplished. It’s nothing but a child’s dream.

Pokey Pierce: This coming from a Koopa that earns money from singing on stage? Really?

Adagio: That’s crazy talk.

Bowser: Well, I do earn money by performing, but it’s nothing compared to what Figment’s song is telling us.

Daisy: Well, we believe it does.

Peach: Yeah.

*(Then Peach and Daisy began singing Figment’s song through loud hums while Bowser sighed softly)*

Bowser: It’s not making me better.

*(But Peach and Daisy continued humming when suddenly, a giddy laughing figure landed on his feet in front of the team, startling them)*

Team Fantasy: Whoa!

*(Then the figure was revealed to be a Beanbean Creature. He has green skin and yellow pupil-less eyes, and wearing a black beret hat with a green topper, a purple eyemask, a pair of white gloves, a purple and pale blue striped long-sleeved shirt, black pants, and black shoes. Upon noticing what he looks like, Team Fantasy slowly realized)*

Mario: Hold on. That must be the Beanbean creature we were told about.

Beanbean creature: (Giggles) Good guess, plump boy.

Mario: (Surprised) Plump boy?!

Soarin: For your information, he’s a prince.

Beanbean creature: A prince?

Mario: Yeah.

Luigi: A fairy prince.

Beanbean creature: Hence the wings.

*(He leaps over to Peach and Daisy happily)*

Beanbean creature: But that is not why I’m here! I’m our here because I’m looking for performers to perform at the Beetle Ball Contest in my ruby red sequoia tree! And performers need to be extremely…!

*(He politely kisses Peach’s hand like a gentleman)*

Beanbean creature: Beautiful….

*(He politely kisses Daisy’s hand like a gentleman as well)*

Beanbean creature: Creatures!

Sonic: Just what kind of creatures?

Beanbean creature: Any creature. Just so long as they’re beautiful!

Bowser: (Scoffs) Beauty vain, I see.

Beanbean creature: Nope! I’m a connoisseur of beauty. And you, sir, ain’t no beauty queen.

Bowser: (Angrily insulted) WHAT?!

Shadow: (Calming him) Easy there, Bowser.

*(He turned to the Beanbean creature)*

Shadow: What is your name?

Beanbean creature: (Realizing) Oh, sorry. Got a little carried away.

*(He bows)*

Beanbean creature: My name is Popple.

Shadow: And this contest you’re holding at your tree?

*(The Beanbean creature, now revealed to be Popple, explained)*

Popple: Why, it’s the special gala I throw every Fall at the Ruby Beetle Clubhouse.

Knuckles: (Flatly) Yawn.

Popple: And this year’s grand prize is this beautiful gem I found in these woods!

*(He shows a picture of himself holding the Elemental Stone, getting everyone’s interest)*

Knuckles: (Interested) Oh, unyawn.

Popple: And whoever makes the best performance is the winner of this!

*(He puts his picture away)*

Popple: And I take it you know this object?

Mario: Why, yes.

Luigi: That’s the Elemental Stone.

Popple: From the Fairy Kingdom?

Team Fantasy: Yes!

Cream: Will you give it to us?

Billy: Yeah, will ya?

Popple: Uh-uh-uh-uh! You gotta join the contest if you want it.

Ace: And my guess is that none of us will be performing, right?

Popple: But these two gals can!

*(He points at Peach and Daisy)*

Peach and Daisy: Us?

Popple: Yeah! Ask away for permission to join the contest.

*(Team Fantasy encouraged the two girls)*

Team Fantasy, except Peach and Daisy: Yeah, ask away.

Peach and Daisy: Okay.

*(They turned to Popple)*

Peach and Daisy: May we have…?

Popple: No, no, no, no. Sing the permit.

Team Fantasy: (Confused) Sing? *(Realizes)* Oh, okay.

Luigi: He must’ve heard you both humming. So he wants you to sing to him a permit.

*(Understanding, Peach and Daisy then sang their question, much to Popple’s delight)*

Peach: **I have an idea**

Daisy: **Can you put us in the contest?**

Popple: (Playfully) And why would you want to join?

Daisy: **We’d like the Elemental Stone**

Peach: **Pretty please?**

*(Popple thinks it over and gives in happily)*

Popple: Yep! You can join!

Peach and Daisy: **Thank you**

Popple: You don’t have to thank me in song form, now.

Peach and Daisy: (Realizing) Oh, thank you.

Team Fantasy: And what about us?

Popple: Hmm, you guys can help support these gals in the contest.

Silver: And how will they perform?

Popple: Singing and dancing, that’s what.

Blaze: So, where’s your clubhouse and the ruby red tree?

Popple: It’s just right here!

*(He points down the road, revealing that the Ruby Beetle Clubhouse is nearby, much to Team Fantasy’s surprise)*

Bowser: Well, that was fast that we found it.

Popple: And one more thing, these gals of yours will be considered ugly to my club in this present state.

Tails: Why? They’re pretty.

Popple: Unless you have an alternate outfit idea, they can’t get in.

*(Thinking it over, the female members of Team Fantasy got it)*

Female members: We got an idea!

Amy: What if we dress Peach and Daisy up as butterflies?

Popple: Peach and Daisy?

Peach: That’s our names. I’m Peach.

Daisy: And I’m Daisy.

Popple: (Shrugging) Lovely names.

*(He turned to the female members)*

Popple: Go on.

Rarity: We can make their outfits shine like diamonds.

Blaze: And the sun, but not too bright.

Twilight Sparkle: And maybe the moon, even?

Female members: Yeah!

Fluttershy: They’ll look lovely in them!

Popple: Okay. Where’s the outfits?

*(Then the Mane Seven and Dazzlings magically transformed Peach and Daisy’s attires into butterfly-themed dress outfits, much to their amazement)*

Cosmo: Now that’s beautiful!

Popple: I’ll say!

*(Then he lead them into the clubhouse)*

Popple: We got a contest to work on!

*(And with that, they were inside already. Unknown to them, Mephiles, Vanitas, Arukenimon, Mummymon, Demidevimon, and Dr. Facilier have unfortunately overheard and saw the whole thing and smirked evilly at this)*

Dr. Facilier: (Sarcastically) Oh, beautiful, indeed.

Vanitas: (Sarcastically) What would happen if Peach and Daisy were to be unexpectantly humiliated?

*(They chuckle evilly a bit, and then turning invisible, they head inside from behind the tree leading to the stage. At the stage, Team Fantasy is helping out in the performance, helping Popple, Peach, and Daisy perform on stage in front of a crowd of bugs. With the three performers on stage are two fairies, one a woman and the other a man, a Normal-type scratching cat Pokemon, and five black feathered crows. They are Jessie, James, and Meowth of Team Rocket, and Jim Crow, Preacher Crow, Fat Crow, Strawhat Crow, and Glasses Crow respectively. As the hidden invisible villains prepared for their cue to humiliate Peach and Daisy, the performers started the show to the music by dancing while Peach and Daisy are standing in the center waving hello to everyone. Then Popple sang out, starting the singing)*

Popple: **Baby, it’s the Beetle Ball Contest**

**And bugs are crawling to get in**

**When they hear that beetle beat**

**Those beetle feet’ll start to spin**

**And how they’ll cheer**

**For you, my dears**

**Yer beautiful, baby**

*(The bugs cheered for Peach and Daisy, who then started boogieing to the rhythm on cue)*

Performers: **Oh, our little butterflies**

**You flutter by and there’s romance**

Popple: **Wa-wa-wa-wa-wa**

Performers: **Every chance we dance with you**

**Puts the ants back in our pants**

Popple: **Wa-wa**

Performers: **Let’s cut some rugs**

**Our ladybugs**

**Yer beautiful, baby**

*(The hidden invisible villains secretly arrived on stage, ready for their secret cue with evil smirks)*

Popple: **I get a buzz**

**When I have you on my wing**

**You tie my big mouth in a knot**

**Now the room’s reeling**

**And I’m feeling**

**So ha-ha-ha-ha-hot to trot**

**Let’s dance, baby**

*(As the performance continued, the bug crowd started giving compliments)*

Male bug 1: Aren’t they beautiful?

Female bug 1: Just adorable, darling.

Male bug 2: What two pieces of work!

Male bug 3: Oh, would you look at them?

*(Popple then turned to the performers)*

Popple: Okay, let’s wing it!

*(On that cue, the villains secretly use their psychic powers to spin the unsuspecting Peach and Daisy around, making them wreck their butterfly outfits and showing their jumpsuit outfits from underneath (Pink for Peach and gold yellow for Daisy), much to their teammates’ concern. Suddenly, the bugs and even the performers and Popple started to laugh slowly at the two girls’ misfortune as Peach and Daisy recovered and got up. As the laughter started to get stronger, the villains smirked evilly and left secretly, turning visible again and apparently going to get the other villains. Back on stage, Popple, the performers, and bugs started mocking Peach and Daisy as Team Fantasy got concerned)*

Bugs and performers: **Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha**

**Hee, hee, hee, hee, hee, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho**

**They’re, they’re, they’re, they’re, so, so, so, so**

**Hey, those bugs are dogs**

*(Peach and Daisy sheepishly tried to dance again, but the bugs and performers are still insulting them)*

Female bug 1: My, my!

Male bug 4: Unattractive, indeed!

Female bug 2: The word, my dear, is ugly.

Male bug 2: They’re so ugly, they’re hurting my feelers.

Female bug 3: Here, here.

Male bug 3: I hope it ain’t catchin’. Disgraceful!

*(Then they began mocking the two poor girls, making them stop dancing and feeling hurt from those words as Team Fantasy got concerned even more)*

Bugs and performers: **Would you look at that?**

**They ain’t got no wings**

**Good gracious, me**

**What are those things?**

**They ain’t got no feelers**

**No feelers**

**They ain’t got no shell**

**Do tell**

**They got scrawny legs and knobby knees**

**For all we know**

**The gals got fleas**

**They can’t even fly**

**No, that won’t do**

**So, say goodbye**

**They’re not for you**

Popple: **Sorry toots**

**We guess you’re both too**

**Ooooh**

**Ugly**

*(On “ugly,” Popple whacked Peach and Daisy on the backs with a cane, startling them both, and magically changing back into their poodle-skirt-themed dresses again as the bugs and performers laughed harder at them)*

Popple: Sorry, girls. You lost.

Peach and Daisy: (Hurt) We’re ugly?

*(As the laughter and jeering continued, Team Fantasy went up to Peach and Daisy in concern, who’re backing away sadly, as if their hearts were breaking. Then Peach and Daisy ran outside, with Peach crying silently and Daisy fuming with angry tears, and Team Fantasy ran after them, but Bowser and the Gangreen Gang tripped and fell while following. The laughter and mockery intensified even more after that, and while the team stopped to go help the six, the six silently motioned them to stop, and make them go on ahead, to which they nod in agreement and then the six turned to the laughing bugs and performers as they slowly got up and recovered, their anger slowly reaching a boiling point. Then they went to the center of the stage and screamed out to them after grabbing a microphone, getting their attention and making them quiet down)*

Bowser and Gangreen Gang: SHUT UP!!

*(Silence as Popple, the bugs, and performers got calmly surprised)*

Popple: Whoa, whoa! You don’t have to get all antsy!

Bowser: Stuff it, big mouth!

*(Surprised at that insult, the crowd and even Popple quieted down. Then Bowser, remembering Peach and Daisy’s berating to him and the Koopas, spoke up first)*

Bowser: Have you no qualm for these two girls?!

*(A short pause, then Meowth asked)*

Meowth: Define “qualm.”

Bowser: (Sighs in agitation) It means compassion and understanding situations like this!

*(Realizing, Meowth got it and he and the crowd listened)*

Bowser: You say you like beautiful things, yet you laugh and mock at the real beauty in front of all of you ingrates!

*(He hands Ace the microphone)*

Ace: And that Elemental Stone we were aiming to win in this contest is the Fairy Kingdom’s lifeforce! And we’re trying to get it back so we can return it to the Element Temple and restore everything there, before come Day 2 of Spring, the Fairy Kingdom *and* the world will be succumbed to the Kingdom of Darkness!

*(Surprised in realization, the crowd got concerned as Billy was handed the microphone)*

Billy: We all die later on without the Elemental Stone because of you mocking bugs!

*(Arturo took the microphone next)*

Arturo: And if you *el* *stupidos* have hearts, I’d apologize and do what’s right for the fate of the Fairy Kingdom and the world!

*(Grubber blew an angry raspberry in agreement and then Snake took the microphone last)*

Snake: And if not, here’sssss what we’ll sssssayssss to you! How would youssss like it if sssssomebody mocked you for your appearancccccessss and called you namessssss?!

*(The concerned crowd remained silent as they hung their heads guiltily. Then the six scoffed as Snake puts the microphone away)*

Bowser and Gangreen Gang: Exactly!

Ace: Stupid mocking punks!

*(Then with that, they left as the crowd remained silent with calm guilty looks. Outside, as nighttime came, Peach is huddled in a corner, her face buried in her arms and knees, crying silently as Daisy, with angry tears, just sat there, mumbling in anger)*

Daisy: (In angry tears) Who do those heartless guys think they are…!

*(Then Team Fantasy arrived, feeling sorry for them)*

Tails: Peach, Daisy?

*(The two girls noticed tearfully and just remained silent as they sat next to them in comfort)*

Mario: Hey, hey….

Luigi: You okay?

Amy: Tell dear Amy Rose your problems.

Peach: (Crying) We’re hurt, *(Sniffles)* humiliated, and…. *(Sobs softly)* We ruined our chance at getting the Elemental Stone, because we’re ugly!

Daisy: (In angry tears) We failed the Fairy Kingdom and the world!

*(They broke down crying softly)*

Figment: Please don’t cry, girls. I hate to see girls like you cry like that.

*(Bowser and the Gangreen Gang arrived)*

Bowser and Gangreen Gang: Hey!

*(They turned and saw them. Noticing Peach and Daisy still teary-eyed, the six got concerned)*

Bowser: Bad time to tell you what we did just now, huh?

Shadow: Well….

Daisy: (Sadly) It’s okay….

Peach: (Sadly) Tell us….

Ace: Well, if it’ll make both of you feel better, we told them off.

*(Peach and Daisy got calmly surprised)*

Ace: It’s true.

Snake: Called thosssse ssssuckerssss derogatory namessssss as well.

Arturo: *Humillado* them. Which means “humiliated.”

*(Peach and Daisy sighed sadly with soft smiles)*

Peach and Daisy: (Sadly with soft smiles) Thanks.

Mario: Have you ever heard of “The Ugly Duckling?”

Luigi: The story of the…?

*(Peach and Daisy got interested while Knuckles snapped)*

Knuckles: Mario, Luigi! Don’t make it worse!

Mario: Luigi and I are just trying to cheer….

Knuckles: But the title has that word Peach and Daisy were…!

Peach: Knuckles, it’s okay.

Daisy: We love that story.

*(Knuckles got calmly surprised)*

Knuckles: (To Peach and Daisy) Oh. *(To Mario and Luigi)* Good ahead.

*(Mario and Luigi asked away. At the same time, Popple, Team Rocket, and the crows arrived secretly and listened, carrying a bag containing something)*

Mario: Remember how that story ended happy?

Luigi: And what did the ugly duckling turn out to be?

*(Peach and Daisy slowly smiled softly while thinking it over, and answered happily while wiping their tears away)*

Daisy: Well, for your question, Luigi, the ugly duckling turned out to be a beautiful swan.

Peach: And your question, Mario, he was taken in by his real family in the form of a flock of swans and the ducks that casted him out became friends with him after the duckling saved them and his real family from an evil fox.

Mario: Exactly.

Luigi: And maybe, just maybe, you both….

*(He tries to think of something to not make Peach and Daisy upset, but Peach and Daisy, smiled softly and feeling better, knowing what Luigi will say)*

Peach: Could be like swans as well. Beautiful ones.

Daisy: If we start off ugly, we could grow to be beautiful. Like us trying to find out our true heritage from the Elemental Stone.

Peach: And once we know who our real family is, maybe, just maybe, we could understand each other.

*(Team Fantasy smiled softly, glad to see Peach and Daisy feeling better and confident again)*

Billy: How did you know the story of the ugly duckling, guys?

Mario: Luigi and I were read that story by our parents.

Peach: Mother and Father read me and Daisy that story the other night as well.

Tuff: And it’s a great story.

Billy: (Realizing) Ah….

Aria: So it’s not about who you are on the outside….

Snake: But who youssss are on the insssside….

Figment: Same with following your heart and dreams.

*(Near them, Popple, Team Rocket, and the crows smiled softly, feeling touched by this. Although Popple and Meowth’s were tearful, and as Meowth wiped a tear away while sniffling, he accidentally knocked a piece of broken tree bark down with his elbow, getting Team Fantasy’s attention and noticing them, making the seven snap out of their touched reactions and getting surprised and Popple and Meowth blinking their tears away)*

Bowser: (Angrily) What do *you* want?

*(Popple cleared his throat)*

Popple: Well, uh….

Ace: You’re not here to make things worse again, are ya?

Popple: No. It’s just that….

*(He sighs sadly)*

Popple: Okay. My guys and I will admit it.

Jim Crow: We thought over the beratin’ from your backstory on the Elemental Stone bein’ here….

Jessie: We really did think long and hard about it.

James: And I know some of you won’t accept it, but….

Meowth: Sorry.

*(Team Fantasy got calmly surprised)*

Meowth: What? Do we have to spell it out for ya?!

Popple: (Annunciating) We’re apologizing for the mockery!

*(A short pause, then Ash and Pikachu spoke up)*

Ash: And the Elemental Stone?

Pikachu: *Pika*?

*(Popple pulled the bag out and revealed the Elemental Stone in there)*

Popple: You said so yourselves it’s a matter of life and death, right?

Team Fantasy: Yeah.

Popple: Well, we’re gonna let you back in the contest and sing about our dreams, see?

*(Team Fantasy got interested)*

Peach: You all have dreams?

Popple: Yep!

James: But we’ll tell you inside.

Jessie: And after singing about our dreams….

Popple: We’ll give you the Elemental Stone. No grand prize whatsoever.

*(Team Fantasy got calmly happy)*

Team Fantasy: Thank you!

*(Then with that, they go inside)*

***Coming up: Team Fantasy and Popple’s group perform a redux on the contest by explaining their dreams through song. But afterwards, however, the villains arrive to get the Elemental Stone, which leads to a big fight in the clubhouse, determining the fate of the Elemental Stone.***