Chapter 4: Trek or Treat
Ludwig and Morton made their way to the room where the guards often stay when they aren’t on duty, as the shift that was on when Karma was taken by that Lakitu was over.
“That Lakitu?” one of the guards, a Koopatrol, replied when the Koopalings showed him the picture and asked if they’d seen the Lakitu. “Yeah, I’ve seen him. Claimed to be Scott Charles Tut the seventy-sixth and the head of the Koopa Kingdom lottery. Said he had a prize for Miss Karma. There was another Lakitu and a white hot air balloon outside. Lakitu was Douglas Gaston, I think. They brought Miss Karma, put her in the balloon, and flew off.”
In Ludwig's room, the two Koopalings went over the info.
“There’s no Koopa Kingdom lottery,” Morton said. “King Dad never authorized any such thing. I have a feeling those two Lakitus made it up!”
“Worse yet, I’ve checked the army register,” Ludwig added, “Scott Charles Tut isn’t in the listing, first to seventy-sixth, and neither is Douglas Gaston.”
“Perhaps they are members of the Game Over? We know they have to be involved somewhat, because of that note. I doubt anyone would have access to a Poison Mushroom stamp otherwise.”
Ludwig had limited each of Morton’s insights to three sentences.
“We both know where Mt. Majesty is,” Ludwig said. “We’d better get going.”
Morton responded with a nod. Suddenly, the other five Koopalings burst in.
“What’s youse doing in here all by yourselves?” asked Roy.
“No one’s business buy my own and Morton’s,” Ludwig replied, standing up.
“Roy, we already know what’s going on,” Lemmy sounded, perched on his favorite ball.
“You WHAT?!” Ludwig was shocked. “How did you learn about Karma?”
“We overheard Dad telling Kamek about the kidnapping,” Iggy said.
“We knew you’d go after her until you learned about the condition the two of you are in,” Wendy continued.
“So we’re coming along!” Larry finished.
“No way, no how, rejected, vetoed, voided-“ Roy socked Morton in the mouth.
“I insist you stay here and keep quiet,” Ludwig said. “If King Dad knows you know, we’ll all be in trouble!”
“We’re not taking ‘No’ fer an answer, Kooky von Koopa,” Roy retorted. “We’re going with youse and Big Mouth whether youse like it or no!”
“Seeing as the odds of me transforming your choices are null, if you insist.”
“The chances are low that we’ll change our minds,” Lemmy translated, “so we can go if we want!”
“HUZZAH!” the other four cried.
“We’d better set off immediately,” Iggy said. “Don’t want to be late for dinner.”
“Heard it’s Shroom Steak again,” Wendy commented.
“YUK!” Larry choked. “Maybe missing dinner isn’t such a bad thing after all.”
After the Koopalings stopped laughing, they began to organize how to get out of the castle. Larry, being the sneaky one he is, volunteered to be scout in case Bowser was roaming the corridors for some reason. Ludwig disabled the security cameras from the room to the front hall. Roy had a hammer in his shell to bludgeon any wandering guards so they couldn’t alert Dad.
Finally, everything was ready.
“Here goes nothing…” Larry whispered as he and Roy slipped out of the room.
***
Karma finally arrived at the village… or at least, what was left. Several Yoshis of multiple colors were at work trying to rebuild the chaos that was left after the red-dressed plumber went through asking for help.
She scanned the area with her eyes, and found the two she was looking for: a purple-shelled Koopa and a green Yoshi were working together building a hut.
She approached. “Mom? Dad?” she said softly.
***
The G. O. S. Volcano moved through the outskirts of the Mushroom Kingdom as it flew toward Dark Land. Doopliss and Bombette were alone on deck. Everyone else had either gone to their cabins or the galley.
“Yuk yuk yuk yuk yuk yuk!” Doopliss laughed. “That was hardly a fight at Star Haven! Why didn’t they attack, I’d like to know?”
“That’s ‘cause they’re keepers of the peace,” Bombette replied. “Trust me, I know.”
“So, what’s it like working with Slick anyway?”
“He wanted me to blow up at certain spots. Lucky for me, I didn’t kill myself all those times.”
“Real drag, huh?”
“Pretty much, and then I found out he was just… he was just…”
“Nah, don’t think about that,” Doopliss said in an attempt to comfort her. “Now you’re against that good-for-nothing plumber! Feel better?”
Doopliss didn’t get a reply, because at that moment, Yosie burst out of his cabin, only he was different. He was wearing his usual shirt underneath his shell. Readers of my last story would know what it looks like, but for newcomers, it was black with a Poison Mushroom and the words “Game Over” under it.
“Boy am I feeling GOOD to-DAY!”
“Enthusiastic, Yosie?” Bombette asked.
“Nah, it just feels so good to be able to wear this shirt again. I had to duplicate and shrink it very precisely, but it fits like a charm. Plus, I cursed it to grow along with me so I don’t ever have to take it off!”
“Really like it, don’t ya?” Doopliss said.
“Of course!” He floated over to them. “Now, to business. What’s our position?”
“We’re approaching Dark Land. Wait for it…” Doopliss said. He started to slowly count down, “Three… two… one… zero.”
As soon as he said zero, the sky turned black and the sun disappeared. The land below turned from meadows and forests to wastelands and dead trees.
“We’ve finally arrived,” Yosie said, rubbing his hands together. “Excellent. Get the other Commandos and have the armory prepare the Bombshell Bills. We need seven Magic Wands, and I know just where they are.”
***
“You go left, I go right,” Larry said to Roy.
“Right.”
“No, left.”
They took their routes away from Ludwig’s room. Larry reached the corner and peered around. A Koopatrol was walking down the hallway.
Larry reached into his shell and pulled out a brass telescope. He normally used it to spy, but it had another purpose if used properly. Completely extending it, he twisted it like a baseball bat. As the Koopatrol passed the corridor… SLAM! The guard never knew what was coming.
Roy moved over to him. “Nice. The other corridor’s clear.”
“Right. Let’s take that route.”
He followed Roy the other way. Once seeing the route was clear, he motioned to Ludwig, who was just in the doorway of his room. Ludwig tiptoed out of the room towards Larry. Behind him in single file were Iggy, Lemmy, Wendy, and Morton in that order. Morton had duct tape over his mouth as a precaution. No need to make loud, out-of-the-ordinary, Bowser-and-trouble-attracting noises.
All seven gathered at the end of the hallway. Following what Ludwig calculated to be the best way out of the castle, Larry and Roy managed to lead everyone to the front door.
***
“So, if we send in the Bob-ulks along the left flank,” Kamek said, using a slider to move the token for a Bob-ulk squadron on the war map, “as well as a squad of Spiky Goombas to the right flank…” He moved the appropriate token.
“Would result in total disaster!” Kammy Koopa criticized.
“Look, just because you haven’t come up with any great plans-“
“That one with the Star Rod would’ve worked if Mario hadn’t been found by that little Goomba girl!”
“Quiet,” Bowser said. Kammy and Kamek shut up and listened.
Silence…
“I don’t hear anything,” Kamek whispered.
“Didn’t Morton have his speech about speeches scheduled in the auditorium today?” Kammy whispered.
“Yeah,” Bowser also whispered. “We should be able to hear something. Something screwy is going on around here…”
***
“Bowser’s Keep is just ahead, boss,” Dicer said as he peered ahead from the bow. “But something’s out of place that might botch the job.”
“Gimme that,” Yosie said, snatching the telescope from Dicer and peering into the courtyard. “Those Koopa brats are trying to get out. Wonder why their sneaking away in single file like that? Don’t matter.”
“Doesn’t matter.”
“Whatever. All the same, our job just got easier. Won’t have to waste artillery on the walls now.”
***
Exhausted from all the flying, Twink finally arrived at Princess Peach’s Castle.
“*huff… puff…* Tough flight… *wheeze…* Don’t understand why the Embers were out in force…”
He flew up to the balcony of Peach’s room and proceeded to tap as hard as he could on the glass door separating the two. However, due to his state and size, it wasn’t very loud.
Fortunately, it was loud enough for Peach, who was in the room at the time. She opened the door, and he slowly floated in.
“Twink!” Peach cried. “Are you ok?”
“Not really… *puff…*” he managed to get out. “Embers attacking… *huff…* in force… *puff…* taking over Star Haven…”
“Is that it? Why couldn’t the Star Spirits stop them?”
“That’s what I came to tell you… *wheeze…* The G. O. Commandos attacked… *puff…* took the Star Rod… *huff…* and the honorable Star Spirits…”
Twink fainted and fell to the floor.
***
“Slowly… slowly…” Larry whispered as they made their way across the courtyard.
Suddenly, a huge shadow appeared. Knowing what had happened the last time it suddenly got darker then usual, all seven looked up.
A huge red doomship hovered over the courtyard.
“The Game Over,” Wendy said. “I saw that ship in their hanger when I was kidnapped.”
“What’s Yosie want now?” Roy asked.
“I don’t know, Roy,” Lemmy replied, “but I bet it has something to do with that hybrid.”
“Ten coins say she isn’t mentioned,” Iggy sounded.
“Deal.”
Five hatches on the bottom of the ship opened and Doopliss, Bombette, Susan, General Guy, and Dicer lowered on extendo-hands. Two Lakitus flew from the ship’s deck to join them.
“Trick or treat!” one of the Lakitus said. “Now for the goodies!”
Ludwig was quickly comparing the Lakitu to the security photo. “I know now! You’re Scott Charles Tut the Seventy-Sixth!”
The Lakitu gave a Grodus-like laugh.
“Quite so, but I’m better known as supercomputer276.”
“So that means…” Larry spoke.
“Correct! I’m the king of cool, the kid of chaos, and the emperor of evil… Yosie!”
“Now I realize it,” Ludwig said. “SCT76. Should’ve known.”
“Well,” Yosie said, adjusting his shades, “Karma couldn’t figure it out until Douglas Gaston turned into Doopliss.”
“You lose,” Lemmy said to Iggy. Iggy grumbled as he shoved ten coins into Lemmy’s outstretched claw.
“Speaking of that half-breed,” Roy said, “where is she?” Karma had gained some of Roy’s respect since she piledrived him in the hallway and hung him up to dry.
“Perfectly safe in her true habitat,” Yosie said, “but if you want the exact location, that’ll have to cost you.”
“Cost us what?” Iggy said. “I already lost ten coins to Lemmy.”
“Sucker bet,” Lemmy replied. To Iggy, of course.
“Seven Magic Wands is what I require for Karma’s whereabouts.”
“No chance in all of probability!” Ludwig shouted.
“Fine then. It seems force is necessary.” Yosie pulled out the G. O. Wand. “I got this skill when I stole Kamek’s wand. Magical Magnet!”
Suddenly, the Koopalings’ seven wands shot out of their shells and flew into the G. O. Wand, where they stuck to the quad-colored orb.
“Give them back!” Roy shouted as he hopped up to clobber Yosie. The human-gone-Lakitu just flew out of range.
“Nice try, Bully, but I haven’t shown my whole arsenal yet.” He replaced the G. O. Wand and the seven other wands in his cloud and pulled out the Star Rod.
“The Star Rod?!” all seven Koopalings said at once.
Bowser, Kamek, and Kammy burst out the door. “Star Rod? Where?” Bowser shouted.
“Right here!” Yosie cried, waving the magical staff above his head.
“Release the Rod immediately or suffer the alternative consequences!” Ludwig cried.
“I’ll go with the ‘or else’,” Yosie said.
“Fine!” Ludwig began to build up fire in his stomach, but Yosie had already made his move. Three star shapes contracted in a spin into the Star Rod, then three stars shot up from beneath Yosie, coating him and solidifying with a flash of light.
At that point, Ludwig shot a huge cloud of flame. It completely consumed the Lakitu, but when he stopped and the fire faded, he stood, or rather floated, right where he was without a scratch.
“Aah, that felt like a warm bath,” Yosie said. “Now since I have what I came for, I will take my leave of you.”
The ship began to blast off, and the Commandos made their way back up.
“See ya later in Dinosaur Land,” Yosie
said through a megaphone on deck as the ship left. “And with that… BAM!
I’m gone!”
CHAPTER 5: Crystal Clear
“Zzzzzzzzz…” snored Mario and Luigi in the bunk in their house. Since Bowser’s last attack, there had been nothing much to do but nap.
Suddenly, a sharp rapping woke Mario up.
“Yaaawwn… Who-a could that be?” he asked no one in particular. He made his way to the front door and opened it.
A brown Toad stood outside. He had a white moustache, glasses, and a walking cane.
“Toadsworth!” Mario said. “What-a are you doing here?”
“Master Mario! A great emergency has arisen!”
“Stop-a speaking like Ludwig. I-a just woke up.”
“Sorry, Master Mario. It’s just that I’m so worried. The Game Over has attacked again.”
“They-a did? Where is-a the princess?”
“She’s safe, but the Star Spirits aren’t. The Game Over Commandos raided Star Haven and took the Star Rod and the Star Spirits. We don’t have much time.”
It turns out Luigi had woken up a few minutes earlier.
“Oh no, you-a don’t, Mario!” he warned. “You’re-a not going anywhere without me!”
“If you insist…” Mario said.
All three made their way down the warp pipe to Toad Town.
***
Despite Bowser’s protests, Ludwig and the other Koopalings darted through the dead trees and wastelands that made up Dark Land.
“Ludwig, how much farther do we have to go?” Iggy asked.
“The Game Over base is on the far end of the Mushroom Kingdom,” Ludwig replied, “so we still have a long distance to cover.”
Lemmy was the only one not completely exhausted, as riding on his ball took less force then running. Everyone else, especially Roy, was gasping for breath.
“If I knew we were going to have to run across two kingdoms,” Wendy complained, “I wouldn’t have worn high heels.”
“You do know where we’re going and that it’s across two kingdoms,” Larry replied, “and you always wear high heels.”
“What’s it to ya?” she replied.
Morton rolled his eyes from the sense of déja vú.
“Say, anyone else noticing we’re moving over grass?” Lemmy said.
They slowed down a notch and saw they were moving across a meadow.
“We must have left Dark Land, because we don’t have grass in the Dark Land due to the fact there’s not really a sun because it’s Dark Land and for some reason it reminds me of-“
No one heard what it reminded Morton of as it was at that point Roy socked him in the mouth.
“Come on, we don’t have time to argue,” Ludwig said as they returned to the full-out run.
***
“Star Rod… check. Star Spirits… check. Magic Wands… check. Karma Koopa… check. Blood of an immortal… check.”
“Where’d you get the blood of an immortal from, Yosie?” Lord Crump asked.
“I think that’d be copyright infringement if I told,” Yosie said. “Ever heard of this guy named Dark Koopa?”
“You mean the one that keeps doing all those Interviews and often gets eaten by Piranha Plants?”
“Yep.”
“Never heard of him.”
“Then you won’t get my answer.”
Yosie and Crump were in the crazy kid’s cabin on the Volcano. Yosie had modified the décor to match that of the Starstruck, including the computer in the back and a desk, which for some reason I failed to mention in my last story. The desk, not the computer. The computer was mentioned in the last… Wait, I’m starting to sound like Morton again. Sorry.
“Well, the remaining six souls we need are all in Rogueport and its surrounding areas,” Yosie said, “which is where all the Crystal Stars are, as well as the dark spirit we need a chunk off. Wait, I got that chuck of a dark spirit after one of my interviews. Better note that.”
Despite all of the clothing Crump wore, Yosie could tell that if he could see his officer’s face, it’d be worried sick.
“Something wrong, Crump?”
“Well…”
“What?”
“I… I haven’t been very fond of visiting Rogueport since…”
“Since what, Crump? Talk to me!”
“Uh… since I joined the Game Over… Sir Grodus threatened to kill me if I showed my face again…”
“Don’t worry. Grodus won’t even know what hit him when we get his Crystal Star.”
“I hope so… I’m not in the mood to die…”
“Neither am I, which is why we’re doing this.”
As they were speaking, the Volcano was floating over the sea that spanned the distance between Rogueport and the Mushroom Kingdom. It was a good twenty miles, so even at the Volcano’s speed, they wouldn’t reach the area until tomorrow.
“Concerning our course, we’ll pass over Keelhaul Key. Couldn’t we get the Sapphire Star then?”
“Crump, we’ll never be able to sweet talk Cortez to let us within viewing range of his treasure without Eve to fill in a convincing role. We’ve got to get the other Stars first.”
“Oh, all right…”
***
“…and that’s what’s been going on since that plumber came through,” Karma finished.
“Sound like you’ve been through a lot, dear,” her mother, Atara, said.
“Yeah,” said her father, Raymond, “and you’ve developed a Metbond with that tone-deaf Ludwig?”
“Yeah, and now it’s almost gone thanks to Yosie and his cronies.” Just saying the name gave Karma shudders.
“Don’t worry, my child,” Atara said, “we’ll make sure nothing happens to you. There’s a balloon arriving from the Mushroom Kingdom in a week if you want to go back.”
“Thanks,” Karma replied, “but first, I need to rest.”
She made her way to the repaired hut’s back room. One week and she would be done. Hopefully, Yosie wouldn’t be back by then to pick her up.
But did she want to go back? Only Ludwig, Roy, and maybe Playful the cat had any real respect for her. Was it better to just…
She pushed the thoughts out of her head. She was not going to join Game Over. She was not going to work for that insane animal. She was not going to work with six individuals (no, make that seven, she forgot 666 the Fire Bro) bent on controlling every universe in existence.
Or was she?
***
Mario, Luigi, and Toadsworth entered Peach’s Castle. The princess was waiting.
“Mario! Luigi! I’m so happy you’ve arrived!” she greeted.
“Toadsworth said that-a Star Haven was attacked,” Luigi said, “and by-a the G. O. Commandos.”
“Yeah,” Mario continued, “and I-a think they took-a the Star Spirits and Star Rod as well, those rotten third-in-commands.”
“Third-in-command?” Luigi asked. “I-a thought Commando was as-a low as you can go.”
“Welcome to-a Pilt,” Mario replied.
“Still,” Peach chimed in, “Star Haven and possibly the rest of the kingdom is in trouble. Already, the wishing has stopped. Mario, Luigi, can you save everyone?”
“Again?” Mario asked.
“Yes, again,” Peach replied, “I think your best start is Mt. Majesty. You should head there immediately.”
“Wait, we-a can’t catch a ride?” Luigi asked.
“All of our ships are down at the moment while being repaired from Bowser’s last attack. You don’t mind walking, do you?”
“Of-a course not!” Mario said. “Come-a on, Luigi! We-a have work to do!”
Mario and Luigi left.
***
Several minutes after the Mario Bros. left, the Koopalings arrived in Toad Town.
“AAH! IT’S THE KOOPALINGS!” one of the Mushroomers screamed. “EVERYBODY RUN!”
In three seconds, the entire street was clear.
“Well, that was easy,” joked Lemmy.
“Siblings, inspiration has struck!” Ludwig said. “Lemmy, you’ll catch the next balloon to Dinosaur Land with me. Yosie mentioned it for a reason. Roy, Iggy, you’ll take the next ship to Rogueport. That’s where the Volcano was heading. Wendy, Morton, Larry, continue to Mt. Majesty and look for clues.”
“Split our forces like that?” Iggy asked. “Are you sure?”
“Positive. Break!”
While Larry, Morton, and Wendy continued on, Ludwig, Lemmy, Roy, and Iggy headed toward the docks, where a ship to Rogueport was set and a balloon service was ready for trips between the Mushroom Kingdom and Dinosaur Land.
“Ludwig,” Lemmy asked, “why couldn’t we just take the doomships?”
“King Dad wouldn’t give us clearance because he doesn’t care about Karma,” Ludwig replied.
“And you do?” Lemmy persisted.
Ludwig preferred not to answer that.
***
The next day, two Goombas stood in Rogueport’s central square. One was a young female and wore what looked like an archaeologist’s uniform. The other bore big glasses and white hair and looked very old and withered. The girl was named Goombella. The other was her old professor, Frankly.
“Ya know, Professor,” Goombella said, “things have started to get a little boring around here.”
“Except for that one time when a Bandit tried to clobber you,” the professor remarked.
“Yeah, and did I give him what for! Still, I think I need another dangerous adventure.”
Suddenly, a huge shadow was cast over the whole town square. Something huge was blocking the sun.
“Well, at least it wasn’t you-know-what again,” Frankly said.
Suddenly, seven figures dropped from the ship. Actually, they were riding huge gray hands on poles that slammed the ground. Goombella recognized two of them.
“Doopliss and Lord Crump?! What are you freaks doing here?”
No need to describe the other five, as you probably already know who they are.
“Yuk yuk yuk!” Doopliss laughed. “You haven’t heard of our new job. I thought the wanted posters would have spread this far by now.”
“Goombella!” Frankly said in a loud whisper. “These must be the Game Over Commandos that article in the paper told about!”
“But if they are,” Goombella replied at the save volume, “where’s that human, Yosie?”
A Lakitu floated down. He and his cloud wore sunglasses, and he had a black shell and shirt. The shirt had a Poison Mushroom on it and the words “Game Over”.
“That shirt…” Goombella thought out loud. “Why does it seem familiar?”
You know who the Lakitu is.
“You mean to tell me you haven’t had the pleasure and terror of seeing Yosie, the supercomputer276, face to face?”
“Wait,” Frankly said. “Does that mean… YOU’RE Yosie?!”
“Brilliant, Holmes,” Yosie said.
“But Professor!” Goombella said with a slight sense of scold. “Yosie’s a human!”
“I’ll tell ya about it once you’re aboard. Now, how about a taste of being shanghaied? G. O. Commandos! Attack!”
All seven officers dived at the Goombas and a huge fight broke out. It was Dicer that found Frankly and threw him out of the ring of hands.
Don Pianta’s security guards entered the square from the west side of town.
“What’s dat, going on over there?” one asked.
“I dunno,” the other replied, “but I thinks we’s should stays out of this one.”
Soon, the dust settled, and Goombella, overwhelmed, lay beaten and bruised on the ground. All she could manage to get out of her mouth was a groan.
Yosie pulled out and waved the G. O. Wand. He didn’t fire any magic. That was just the sign for the Shy Guy in charge of the Volcano’s Red Glove Grabbers to lower one and grab the helpless Goomba girl.
“Kidnapping! Assault!” Frankly cried. “What have you done?!”
“Shut it, old man,” Yosie said. “Or Goomba. Whatever. Just shut it or we’ll do the same to you.” The Commandos got back on their hands and retreated into the Volcano, the Red Glove Grabber pulling in an unconscious Goombella, Yosie floating back and making a check mark next to Goombella’s name on his list.
***
Mario and Luigi made their way through the meadows that spread throughout the Mushroom Kingdom. It was a fine sunny day and flowers were in bloom everywhere, but the two were in too much of a hurry to notice.
They were also too busy to notice three Koopalings until they ran right into them.
“The Koopalings!” Mario cried as they all landed in the grass. “What-a are you doing here?”
“I could ask you the same question!” Larry retorted.
Morton took his chance. “We are journeying, trekking, traveling to Mt. Majesty to find, search for, locate Karma A. Koopa, who has been taken by the kid of chaos, emperor of evil, supercomputer276-“
Wendy threw her new super-sized compact in Morton’s mouth.
“Yosie turned himself into a Lakitu and kidnapped Karma. Got that?”
“Here we-a go again!” Luigi said. “The Commandos stormed Star Haven and-a took the Star Spirits and Star Rod. We’re-a going to Mt. Majesty to-a save them.”
“I hate when we have to team up,” Larry said. “Anyone else notice it happens all too often?”
All five nodded.
“Still, we don’t have a choice,” Wendy admitted. “Let’s get going.”
They picked themselves up and set off.
***
“So that’s your little story…” Goombella said.
Shortly after her abduction, Goombella had been given a visit by Yosie in the brig. Goombella was in the brig, of course, not Yosie.
“Quite so,” the crazy kid replied.
“C’mon, your little quest for immortality using the Crystal Stars will never work, even with your ‘GOM1’. I mean, look at Grubba. He tried using the Gold Star to keep his, and I quote, ‘bod forever young,’ end quote, and see what happened to him?”
“Three things,” Yosie replied holding up three fingers. “One, I’ve played Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door twice and I know what happens. Two, Grubba is still alive in one piece working at the Glitz Pit with Jolene as the boss, and three, I’m using a lot more then those wimpy Crystal Stars for my formula to eternity. Now you’ll be cared for in the best way possible, since your life support is so vital to my scheme.”
“My life support? Speak English, genius!”
“All right, I need your life force.”
“Life force? The last person to try that ended up a scattered field of bones, and she was a witch. You don’t stand a chance.” She gave a mocking laugh.
Yosie, however, was known for not being easily fazed. “You’re attempting to get my guard down so you can make a break for it, aren’t you? Well, tough luck.”
“I wasn’t even thinking of escaping,” Goombella replied. “I was mocking your plan.”
Yosie said nothing. He just floated out and locked the door tight. Very tight.
Not someone I’d want to meet in the dark, he thought as he returned to the deck. Gonna have to plug her into the Life Drainer very carefully…
***
“What do you mean, a week?!”
“J-j-j-just what I said, M-M-M-Mister Ludwig, s-sir. The b-b-b-balloon to Dinosaur Land j-j-j-just l-l-left.” The Toad was trembling with fright. “B-b-b-besides, K-K-Koopalings aren’t a-a-allowed to b-b-b-board the b-b-b-balloon.”
“Lemmy, what is your skill level at cutting through H2O with minimal force in the opposite direction?”
“I can swim pretty well, especially if I hold my ball with my front claws.”
“Brilliant! I have a scheme to get to Dinosaur Land without the heated-oxygen inflatable cover.”
“Get to Dinosaur Land without a hot-air balloon? How?”
“Simple. Come close…”
***
“Ohh, I’ve never liked boats…”
“Shaddup, small fry! We’ve only left port twenty minutes ago.”
“That long?” Iggy tried his best to keep from throwing up. “How long ‘til we reach Rogueport?”
“I had a chat with the cap’n. In between his stutters, I caught we will be arriving tomorrow.”
“Ohh, I don’t know if I can last that long…”
Iggy finally couldn’t keep it in.
***
“Hooktail Castle coming up ahead, boss,” Dicer announced to Yosie on deck.
“Thank you. If the data we extracted from Goombella’s brain is correct, our first Crystal Star waits in the high tower. Get us over there and prep Lord Crump for action. General Guy, anybody around the tower area, or rather, in it?”
“Two, admiral. Both Koopas and one is a soul target.”
“Two things. One, don’t call me admiral. And two,” Yosie said as he began to rub his hands together, “excellent.”
***
At the top of Hooktail Castle is a small wooden chest. After Mario defeated the Shadow Queen, there was no need for the contents of the chest times seven. Two Koopas stood near the chest. One wore blue shorts, white shoes, and a light blue shirt under his shell. He was a timid Koopa named Koops. The other Koopa had rosy cheeks and a lock of orange hair. She was Koop’s girlfriend, Koopie Koo. It was their shift to watch over the Diamond Star in case the X-Nauts decided to attack again.
“Uh…” Koops tried to make conversation, “It’s… kinda lonely…”
“Koops, don’t say anything. I’m keeping myself busy by enjoying the quiet.”
Suddenly…
BOOM!
A Bombshell Bill whizzed through the room, followed by several others, which began to eat away the wall.
“Koops, what’s going on?!” Koopie Koo shouted… right before she started screaming.
“Koopie Koo!” Koops shouted. “What happened?”
The smoke settled to show Koopie Koo struggling in the grip of a Red Glove Grabber. Lord Crump and Yosie floated in. Crump was riding on Yosie’s cloud.
“Hello, Koops,” Yosie said to the scared Koopa.
“W-w-w-who are you?” Koops stuttered. “And what are you doing with Koopie Koo?”
“Let me jog his memory!” Crump cried.
“Be quiet, Crump,” Yosie replied. “Let me say it… the supercomputer276 is reporting in!”
“supercomputer276?!” Koops cried. “You’re… you’re…”
“I know what I am,” Yosie replied. “The question is: what are you?”
“Huh?”
“I know… tipped over!”
At that moment, Yosie threw the ball of magic he was building with the G. O. Wand at Koops like a bowling ball. Koops was launched into the air and landed on his back. After regaining his senses, it took him an hour to right himself.
He was shocked at what he saw. The chest in the center of the room lay open and empty, debris was everywhere, and Yosie, Crump, and Koopie Koo were gone.