In Which Our Hero Tries the Coffee

Fourside at last! Ness, Paula, and Jeff get busy tracking down that insidious demon statue from Twoson, but it will be easier said than done. All alone in a sprawling big city, full of grumpy adults who’d rather slurp down bitter coffee and get mad at the news than so much as give the hapless kids directions, and with no leads except the penthouse suite of the huge Monotoli Building, where security is tight and kids are definitely not allowed. 

If that wasn’t bad enough, an especially gruesome alien snatches away Paula, leaving Ness and Jeff to their own devices! And if THAT wasn’t bad enough, it looks like there’s a new and extremely annoying sheriff in town. Googly-eyed freaks, scary grown-ups, and ugh, PORKY?! The Chosen Four, now whittled down to the Chosen Two, have their work cut out for them! 

Will Ness and Jeff make it to the top of the tallest building in Fourside and rescue Paula (erm, again)? Will they get the doorman to look the other way with a sly plying of Jeff’s latest invention, “trout-flavored yogurt?” (I’ll give you that one for free, NO, OF COURSE NOT, it’s trout-flavored yogurt for crying out loud! Bleech!) And will the boys have the courage to… try the coffee?

Find out on this week’s episode of… The Podcast Against Giygas!

ROCKIN!!!

Transcript

It’s The Podcast Against Giygas!

Garrett McMahon 0:00

You're listening to the podcast against Gaius. Episode seven, in which our hero tries the coffee. The city loomed large over Ness, Paula, and Jeff, certainly the largest city that either of them had ever visited in their entire lives so far. As fast, loud, and exciting as this new place was for the kids, there seemed to lurk a sinister layer underneath the glitz that was hard to pin down. Try as they might to politely ask the passers by for directions, the ones that didn't simply ignore them with a harumph gave them looks that pierced them to the core. Ness could have sworn that some of these grumpy adults flashed a bright green or blue neon colored face when they gave them these dirty grimaces. This hostile undercurrent led them all the way to the city's massive department store. Figuring they should stock up on supplies and certainly refill their canteens if that trek along the dusty dunes was any indication, they settled upon this four-story monstrosity, after realizing that the hulking store drove out any other smaller options for blocks around. Luckily, most of the junk they didn't need, fancy clothes, electrical appliances, and so forth, were all on the higher up floors, and everything they did need, as well as a food court and a toy store for good measure, were all in the first. It was at this ladder shop that Ness made a quick detour, a shiny object catching his eye on a shelf near the entrance. It was a bright red yo-yo. With a light glistening in his eyes, Ness picked the thing up and walked the dog, rocked the cradle, made the elevator go up and down, and even pulled off an Eiffel Tower, all with the apparent mastery of ten thousand hours somehow within the nimble hands of a twelve-year-old boy. Paula and Jeff applauded the little show. Well, there you have it. I can set things on fire with my mind, but I can't yo-yo to save my life. But before Ness could even take the compliment, let alone even think about buying the toy for the road, the lights went out. The children stumbled around, disoriented. Just as Ness's eyes began to adjust to the darkness, he could faintly hear something approach them. Whatever it was, it crept behind Paula and snatched her off the floor. She screamed, and Ness and Jeff were shocked to see a horrible alien beast before them, with Paula tangled in its clutches, struggling to no avail. Paula! No The beast, a mess of octopus arms, and one bulbous eye, with two googly eyes on top of two other prehensile appendages, was one he had seen before, in the nightmare vision Paula showed him in the desert. This was one of the mooks, a freakish alien race who bent the tentacle to Gygus and pledged him their undying fealty. The Mook hissed, giggled, and slithered away, with Paula and her teddy bear in tow, she screaming Ness's name all the way. With this, the lights finally came back on, and the chosen four were whittled down to the chosen two. Somebody, please, help! My friend, she was just someone just took As horrified as Ness was that Paula was gone, he was stunned to find that not a single adult seemed to care. None of them even acknowledged his pleas, let alone approach them and offer them their help. Instead, they all gave him the same shifty glare, as if he was making too much noise in a library. Attention, shoppers, would the customer from Warnut, Mr. Ness Elliot, please proceed to the office on the fourth floor? That was customer Ness. Fourth floor office. While the monstrous voice on the store intercom freaked out Ness and Jeff as intended, the adults paid it no mind at all. Indeed, it was as if it was their cue to disregard the hapless children once and for all, and completely returned to the deep concentration that their shopping demanded. Ness and Jeff were on their own, and with no other choice, they advanced through the hulking store, up escalator after escalator, to reach the office on the fourth floor, as instructed. The adults did nothing to help the boys, true, but neither did they stop them on their ascent. It was as if they were just more merchandise on the shelves. Ironically, it was the merchandise itself that gave them the hardest time. Guitars leaped off the shelves of a musical instrument store and rushed at them, playing deafening chords that made them cover their ears and wince in pain. A mob of CDs and LPs attacked from a nearby record store, crackling with an electric energy that made Ness wish that Paula didn't leave that Franklin badge behind. And no matter where they ran away, no matter which store they hid from the malicious wares, other freaks of commerce would pounce at them all the same. Big googly eyes with long lashes and huge lips emerged from glamorous photos of models adorning clothing and perfume stores. Suit jackets, slacks, and ties slithered out of the men's formal wear section to pummel and smother the boys like fine-tailored boa constrictors. Attention, all shoppers! Customer Ness, please report to the fourth floor office right away. If you ever want to see Paula again. Ness and Jeff made their way to the fourth floor, and curiously, there were no shopping adults or monstrous merchandise to be found. Instead, it was an empty hallway that led to a big office with a wide open door. And there was the Mook, sitting at the office desk, with its tentacles neatly folded on the desktop, giggling at the boys as they barged in, weapons drawn. Alright, freak, I made it! Now where's Paula? Oh, you thought she'd still be here. She's long gone to the Monatoli building by now. No, it's this department store that will be your grave. You'll see, I'm gonna send you boys straight down to heaven. Ness and Jeff stopped in their tracks and looked to each other, bewildered. That's the one that's hot and has the little horned men with pitchforks, right? Um no, that would be the other one. Oh right. I'm gonna send you boys straight down to the other one. The alien pounced, its two four tentacles lashing out, and before Ness and Jeff knew it, the thing had snatched away Ness's bat, and not Jeff's laser pistols, but his glasses. The Mook played a cruel game of keep away, laughing all the while, as Ness tried to reach for his bat and dodge the enemy's swinging tentacles, while Jeff squinted and tried to make pot shots at his best guess at what the blurry green blob slithering around the room was. Ness wasn't sure what would do him in first, the alien or Jeff's literal blind shots at the alien. Just when it seemed hopeless, Ness patted his pocket and realized he still had the yo-yo with him. Jeff, hold your fire! I have an idea. Jeff did as he was told, and as the alien swung around to face Ness, he snapped the yo-yo up and out from him and hit the Mook right in its bulbous front eye. Ow! Ow Its two tentacles snapped and clutched its big eye shut, and while it did snatch up the yo-yo in the process, it luckily made the mook drop Ness's gutsy bat and Jeff's glasses. Ness quickly snatched up the dropped items and returned Jeff's eyewear to him, and they both advanced toward the howling alien. Ow! Ow!

unknown 8:11

Ow!

Ugh, PORKY!

Garrett McMahon 8:13

Oh man! Oh, that really smart! Oh, you're in big trouble now, buddy! Gotta give swell avenge me! You're dead meat! You're you're banned from the Foreside Basies flagship location for the rest of your life! With that, the mook leaped through the office window, shattering the glass. The danger more or less averted, Ness and Jeff looked out to the broken window and watched the alien slither from building rooftop to rooftop, all until it became a faint green speck on the skyline. It eventually disappeared near the tallest building among them, a tastefully designed Art Deco spire and geometric golden sheen that was none other than the Monotoly building. Since having reached that office, there were handy elevators nearby that provided a safe path to the sliding doors out. A good thing, too, since the ornery merchandise had by then spilled and littered itself all over the floors, and the store security were on the prowl for two mischievous boys who several eyewitnesses identified as responsible for the mess. From there, as lost and alone as the boys were, it was not so hard, after all, to find the tallest and most opulent skyscraper in all of Foresight. Ness looked to the top of the Monitoli building, defeated. Its zenith seemed to go on forever, tapering to a triangular point that then continued to climb up and up to infinity. He felt as though Paula was just as unreachable as that very top. This is all my fault. If I had just smashed that stupid thing before, we would have never had to come here. And now Paula she Jeff patted Ness on the back, bringing his friend's gaze and his spirits back down to their level. Never mind all that now, old boy. Sometimes, no matter what you do, you end up with no choice but to go to wall with the Parthians after all. Now let's make it your fault she's safe and sound again, eh? Their first move, which maybe at the time seemed the most logical, was to enter the building and hopefully make their way to the top. Who knew if the monster had actually brought Paula there, or even if Monatoli had sent it to kidnap her in the first place, or if they'd even be led up to the top, or if Monatoli would even see them, or if he'd let them smash his evil statue, but they'd never know for sure until they tried. Amazingly, all they had to do was sign their name into a guest book at the front desk, and they were ushered in to an elevator where a kind operator asked them which floor. The penthouse floor, please? Mr Monatoli's office. Mr Monatoli isn't seeing anyone right now, but I can take you to the second highest floor, to Mr Minch's office. That was a name Ness had not heard in a long while. Since Tucson, actually, and if you asked him, that in a while wasn't long enough. Still, Foreside's a big city. Surely there might be another person with the same last name as his most hated enemy. Two hulking security guards in all black suits and shades escorted them to the office's front doors with gilded letters emblazoning the name Minch. The doors opened, and Ness and Jeff saw someone seated before a grand bureau. And though the trappings were new, a fine-tailored red and black pinstriped suit and a gold sheen on everything around him, Ness could have been a mile away and still spotted that same shaggy blonde bowl cut that covered his eyes, that same little snub nose right underneath his hairline, and that same awful smug smile. Not to mention, since back in oneette he could always count on his neighbor's horrible dad in the same room, sitting off in a corner, counting money and grumbling, well, wouldn't you know it? There he was in the big office too. Well, well, well. Then a wildness, and it looks like you fooled some other sap into being your friend. What are you doing here, Porky? I'm Mr. Monitoli's new political advisor, the man pulling the strings behind the curtain, if you get me. Hmm. Not sure I do myself, to be quite honest. You seem to be mixing your metaphors, mister Um didn't catch your name. Porky howled in laughter when he heard Jeff's voice for the first time. Oh, co blind me. You didn't catch my blind name, did you now? Shut your big, stupid, freckly mouth! That's my name. Why don't you go play connect the dots with your face? Maybe it'll make a big truck that you can park in the middle of your two front teeth. Jeff took a step back, not so much intimidated as surprised at the boy's sudden rancor. He had only known him for a couple minutes, after all. He then turned to Ness and whispered My teeth aren't that bad. Ness shrugged, and Jeff spent the remainder of the meeting with his lips pursed tightly shut. Look, you can do whatever you want with Mr Monitoli. We don't care about any of that. We just want Paula back. Well, you can't have Paula back, can you? Funny, this isn't the first time you came around begging me for that dumb broad. He must be real special to you. Oh, that reminds me. You didn't happen to leave something back in Tucson, did you? You brought the statue here? Of course I did. We started digging for the meteor not long after you skipped town and wonette, and then we found something else in the ground. Paula said those lawn hippies sold it to her dad. And I sold it to them first, cleaned them out, got a nice little nest egg out of it. I even threw this thing in for free. Porky took a moment to futz around with a curious object on his desk. A long glass blown pipe of some sort with a cylindrical metal part sticking out on the bottom. I don't really uh know what it does, but anyway, look at me now! Living it up in foresight. Ain't that right, pop pop? Mm-hmm. Only the best for my boy. Without looking up at his son, Mr. Minch went back to counting another thick wad of green bills in his hands. Living it up, indeed, and from what I have, to quite a bit of political upheaval from your predecessors. A bit of a 69 AD situation, if I don't say so myself. I wonder which of the four you might be. I wonder how long you'll last. Okay, Ness, what is this kid's deal? Seriously. He just says words and they don't mean anything. Is that like another dumb thing that lionies do? I I mean you actually decided to let him follow you around. I can't imagine how annoying it must be for Ah shut up, Porky. Look, I'm serious now. You can't mess around with that statue anymore. It gets in your head. I know it sounds dumb, but it's controlled by this evil alien who's trying to take Oh, I know all that. Gigas, right? Ness and Jeff gasped, their jaws left a gap, and Porky fed on their dismay like a vampire fanged deep in an especially thick and juicy neck. He rose from his desk and slowly advanced toward the other boys. And if it were physically possible, his smile would have reached ear to ear. Oh yes. He got into my head too. That's the difference between you and I. You would have freaked out and peed your little knickers and cried to your mommy. But when he spoke to me, I listened. Such are things he tells me, Nest. Such knowledge, such power. Porky got close enough to Nest's face that the latter could smell his bad breath. You're already on the losing side, you big stupid idiot! He's already been shown his complete victory. He's seen himself step on you and grind you into the dust with his heel just like a bug, and I want to see that happen so bad, I don't care if he has to destroy the whole world to do it. I'm going to be right beside him when he breaks you in half. And once it's done, I'm gonna watch it play over and over and over again, like a videotape on a loop. There were so many emotions running around and making a ruckus in Ness's heart in that very moment. One rekindling his crippling fear of this unknown huge enemy he was destined to face, another regretting that poor Minch chose this dark path for himself, and yet another wanting nothing more than to smack that smug jerk right in his halitosis ridden mouth. Neither of them won out, and all of them left Ness paralyzed before him. Ah well, you're boring me now. Security throw them out the window. Ness and Jeff looked to each other, horrified, until one of the security guards cleared his throat and stepped forward. Yeah, uh we can't do that, Mr. Minch, sir. That will obviously kill them. Fine! Then take them to the lobby and throw them out the door.

SPEAKER_00 18:17

Jeez, you can't do it.

One Coffee, Please

Thank you for listening!

Garrett McMahon 18:59

Ness and Jeff were manhandled by security out of Porky's office, all the way down the remaining fifty-eight floors of the elevator, and duly thrown out the front doors of the Monitoly building. Ness thankfully landed on his butt, but Jeff, his knees taking the brunt of this undignified ejection, scraped jagged holes on the kneecaps of his trousers. Ugh! My fourth best twintigreen crease slacks! Now I'm going to look like a a vagrant. Jeff seethed in a newfound anger that Ness had never seen out of him before, his fists clenched, sucking in air heavily through his teeth. Oh, what the horrible boy! Of all the unmannered, uncouth. He looked to the top of the Monitoli building and shook his fist. He's the worst, the bottom of the bottom five. Worse than Nero and his fiddle, worse than Caracalla and Geta in the same room together. Worse than Oh dear, I'm going to say it. So help me, I'm going to say it. Worse than Elagobelist! Ness stood by stunned as Jeff let loose his outburst, before finally taking in some deep breaths, dusting off his jacket and fixing his bow tie. I'm dreadfully sorry you had to see me so cross as all that, old boy. I'm afraid I've been going through a most unfortunate um Roman Empire phase as of late. Ness nodded and put a hand on Jeff's shoulder. I'm here for you, buddy. Ness and Jeff spent a while under the Monotoly building, trying to come up with ways they could possibly get in and save Paula. Ness wondered how anyone could do it, let alone how Paula and Jeff seemed to just know exactly what to do in any given tough situation. All he could do was chide to himself. Think Ness, there's gotta be something. And then find that there's nothing, and then chide to himself again. Think Ness, there's gotta be something, and so on. He found himself in maybe the eighth or so iteration of this loop when he heard something literally explode behind him. He turned around to see Jeff, hurriedly making repairs to his strange pet invention, wiping black soot off his face, and muttering blast and bother all the while. He went to check on his friend when he was bowled over by one of the most awful scents he had ever sniffed in his life. Ugh! What is that? I'm um just making some modifications. I now call it the machine that opens most doors, especially when you have a slightly bent key and portable unlimited yogurt dispenser. Why does it smell like rotten fish? Well, it dispenses trout flavored yogurt, you see. That's why it's the portable unlimited trout flavored yogurt dispenser. Nuss folded his arms and raised an eyebrow. No it wasn't. I beg your pardon. You didn't call it that the first time, the trout flavored thingy or whatever? I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about. I distinctly remember calling it the portable unlimited trout, etc, etc. Jeff, for the first time Ness could recall since meeting him in the thread novelty dungeon, looked anxious, fidgeting with his fingers, his beady eyes through his thick, nearsighted lenses wandering this way and that. Jeff, if you tried inventing something, and it ended up not working out? You could tell me. I wouldn't think any less of you if you did. You know that, right? Your sentiment is duly noted and greatly appreciated. Try some yogurt? No Your loss. Speaking for myself, I am feeling rather pickish. Why there's nothing I'd like more than a refreshing morsel of premium quality yogurt. Jeff scooped a dollop of the revolting white stuff with a spoon on his multi-tool, brought it up to his mouth, and grimaced when the smell reached his nostrils. He screwed up his courage and shoved the spoon in his mouth, and for all his effort, Ness could still tell that Jeff gagged just a little bit before swallowing the stuff down with a big, distressed gulp. The yogurt good and secure in his guts, Jeff regained his composure and gave Ness a little smile. Hmm Delicious We're supposed to be thinking of ways to rescue Paula, Jeff. Well, what do you think I've been at all this time? This little yogurt machine of mine is all part of an airtight rescue plan. You see, in a grand edifice like that, there are doors. In front of each door is a door man. And um one of those doormen might rather like trout flavoured yogurt. You want to get to the most powerful man in Foresight by bribing someone with trout yogurt? And why not? This is high quality yogurt. And there's lots of different flavours why there's trout and uh well, right now there's only trout. Jeff, the only thing stupider than your plan is the fact that you thought someone would ever actually like trout yogurt. Well, I disagree. In fact, I think there will come a time when my yogurt will be essential to our journey's success. That'll never happen. I'll bet you a million dollars it won't. You have yourself a wager. Shake on it. Fine, fine. They shook hands and then sat at opposite ends of the sidewalk, facing away from each other, arms folded, pouting. I um I don't have a million dollars, by the way. I hardly see how that's my problem. Ness grumbled and rose to his feet. All right, come on now, we have to focus. There's got to be a way up there. Jeff also put away his grumpy mood and rose to Ness's level. They milled around the outside of the great building in silence just a little longer, still coming up with nothing, when Ness spotted a familiar sight he would have never expected in the big, fancy pants city of Foresight. A five cent hint booth. Ness pointed to the thing for Jeff with a shrug, and after all the fruitless brainstorming, minor arguments, and ill-advised gamble between the two boys, Jeff was also inclined to give a shrug of why not. Eh, at least they're inexpensive. Apparently the denizens of Foresight also did not expect the shabby kiosk in their pristine metropolis. As Ness and Jeff advanced toward the thing, a sudden mob of crazed townspeople swarmed on the booth, and for a short, horrifying moment Ness and Jeff could only see and hear swinging fists and feet, wooden boards breaking, and screams of rage and terror alike. As quickly as they attacked, the mob dispersed and left behind a pile of kindle and a beaten, bedraggled hippie lying on the pavement. Ness and Jeff ran to the poor man's side and knelt over him as he struggled to look up and speak. Oh, oh go easy on those poor folks. They're not so bad. And in any way they can't help it. There's a dark and twisted side of every city, boys. A moon side to every sunny day. Most people go about their day working, walking, grumbling, and never even realize they left their hearts in the moon side of town. Coughing and sputtering, the man lifted his head off the ground and grabbed Ness by the shoulder, who didn't flinch at the man's touch. Here's one for you on the house, kid. You can get to the monopoly, man, if you go in through the back door. Just drink the coffee, man. The hippie gasped and wheezed and then got up to his feet, picked up the closed sign thrown off to the side of the street, placed it gently on the pile of tinder and junk, and walked away. Ness and Jeff regarded the whole thing hopelessly puzzled. Do you think he's okay? Oh yes, no question. I'm sure he's headed toward the nearest emergency medical services facility as we speak. Neither that sign nor the prospect of following the hippies' instructions and drinking an actual cup of coffee appealed to either of the boys. But trusting that the usually helpful hint booths had never thus far led them to outright falsehoods, and not to mention they were fresh out of other options anyway, they made their way to the cafe. A glum barista manned the register, whose frown only grew wider as he regarded Ness and Jeff take their turn. Um one coffee, please. The barista looked to the boys, then the menu, written in chalk and boasting no less than thirty varieties of the caffeinated beverage, a whole board's worth of different permutations of espresso, milk, and sugar, not to mention the single bean blends that were available off menu. Oh my life hurts. A few minutes wait, and another barista called out Ness's order with just as little passion as the one on the register. The boys brought their mug to an unoccupied table, staring at the hot porcelain cup of strange liquid, Jeff on occasions poking it like a specimen for one of his experiments. Jeff, being a winter's boy, was perfectly acclimated to hot black tea and cream, which was kind of sorta adjacent to coffee if you really squinted hard enough. But coffee was as alien to Ness as it was to any boy his age, and it positively boggled his mind watching his mom and dad slurp the stuff down every morning. No matter how much milk or cream his mother added, it never seemed to become more palatable in his eyes. And his dad? He drank it straight black. They would always tell him he'd learn to like it someday. But that day, him wilfully sucking down this black bitter stuff, not even because it was enjoyable, so much as one was simply expected to, seemed even more remote than the day he'd ever become a grown-up. Even the grown ups around them took no joy in their time spent at the place. They said nothing to each other, frowned and looked straight ahead, taking sips of their own mugs and sometimes glancing at an item in an open newspaper, which only elicited more grumbles and deeper frowns. Okay, here we go. Just like the hippies said, we gotta drink the coffee. Um maybe I should go first, old boy. For scientific inquiry, you understand. Are you sure? It would be my pleasure. Well, chess. Jeff slid the cup to himself, held the handle, fidgeted with the cup, and then had a similar moment of clarity that others have when they first think Russian roulette is a good idea, but then are handed the partially loaded gun. Second thought, maybe you should um Ness grumbled and took the cup handle. He pinched his nose and tasted the stuff on his tongue, making a great effort to swallow it down with the squintiest grimace his face had ever made. Nothing happened for a while, other than the awful coffee aftertaste lingering in Ness's mouth. But then the colors around the room began to fade, as if leaking out of what was once a black and white room. The pleasant music began to warble and distort, as if whatever it was that made music itself pleasurable was evaporating away in the hot sun. So this was it. The black, wicked moonside of the city. I don't like the look of this, Jeff Jeff? Ness turned to his friend, who was making the worst face he had ever seen a boy make, slack jawed and almost drooling, eyes lolling to the back, face straight ahead, motionless. You're making the kind of face where if I was your mom, I'd tell you it'll stay that way. Jeff? Hello Ness snapped his fingers and waved in Jeff's face, to no avail, no response. Absolutely no light behind the eyes whatsoever. Meanwhile, back in foresight, Jeff regarded Ness with concern as he took the cup in his hands. Always a good sport, Jeff steeled himself for his turn to take a sip of the better stuff. Well, old boy. I suppose it went down as well as anything technically potable, eh? Ness nodded to his friend with a grin. She's Brimble paddle wax some fob bill and wimber shwims. Jeff stopped right before the cup reached his lips. Nervously he placed it on the table and pushed it away with one finger. Beg your pardon. Waff waf lips? A woo Ness, you're not making much sense. Oh dear. Maybe I can get some help. Jeff rose to his feet and tapped the shoulder of the cafe patron next to them. Excuse me, kind sir. I say, my friend here seems to have had a bad batch of the the stranger frowned and shouted at Jeff before he could finish. Wing em, bore cockin' gumper schwats, ging em bops, ging em bops. The man brusquely faced away from Jeff and went back to nursing his hot mug of coffee. Oh no, Jeff thought, as he scanned the entire cafe and an overwhelming dread engulfed him. This must be the curse of foresight, and Ness, the poor old boy, now he's trapped inside it. A nightmare existence of perpetual drudgery where every waking moment is spent traveling in a straight line and a snail's pace to a single meaningless task, spending the majority of the time the sun is out enriching some stranger on top of a tall skyscraper that one will never even meet, dulled out small breaks and bibing some bitter sludge meant simply to keep one more energized to perform that same assembly line task even more. Only to spend what little time off and what little pittance earned in waking dread that the awful whistle that calls one back to work is only hours away, only one more sleep till Monday. Modern day slaves forced to queue up to the abattoir of pleasure and joy and witness their lifelong dreams slaughtered before their eyes day after day after day. And to think it was all the doing of that evil statue. You've been listening to the podcast against Geigas. The Podcast Against Gyigas is an audiobook written and performed by me, Garrett McMahon, based on Earthbound, the Super Nintendo game directed by Shige Sato Itoi, with production by William Pulowski, and thumbnail design and art direction by David Peters. This podcast stinks. It is also a fan-made project affiliated in no way whatsoever with the Nintendo Corporation or Mr. Itoi. This podcast is free to listen to, ad free, and always will be. I hope you enjoyed this week's episode, and I'll see you back next Monday. Till next time.