Chapter 21: YOU AGAIN!
Mario and Tatanga arrive back in Delfino Plaza to be greeted by Shellson. They run right at him.
Shellson: Hey Mario, what was that all-
Mario and Tatanga plow through him and send him into the water.
Shellson: ...about.
Mario and Tatanga run to the center of the plaza and settle down. They begin to talk about the next gym.
Mario: Okay Tatanga, where to now?
Tatanga: I believe Corona Mountain.
Mario: Really? Thought that would be last.
Tatanga: Yes, but the best gym leader is in Pianta Village.
Mario: Okay then. Let's go, I guess.
The two head towards the volcano. They come to the base of the Shine Tower and begin climbing the cliffside up into the pool above, where they climb to an even higher pool and then enter the volcano.
Mario: That was fun.
Tatanga: ... I broke a nail.
Mario: Yes... yes you did. Shall we continue? I would guess that the leader is on top of the volcano.
Tatanga: Yes, I will believe so too. How do we cross these fiery and spiky platforms?
Mario: Yes, that is a good question.
All of a sudden, a wave of shadows flies by and the platforms magically line up and the fire goes out and the spikes go down.
Mario: What? I guess they have this set up to happen for challengers. Anyway, let's go.
They cross the platforms until they reach the boat. They board and Mario sends out B Bass and has him use hydro pump to push the boat around to the other end and to the area below the clouds.
Tatanga: This will be very easy. Much more than I thought.
The wave of darkness returns and floats to the center of the platform. It makes a dome that blows away to reveal Shadow Mario standing there, smiling.
Mario: You...
Shadow Mario: HAH! Yes it is.
Mario: You talked...
Shadow Mario: Yeah, so? I came to battle. I want to see how you've been doing with Dark Clone... Hehehe, not that it matters, since I made him into an evil machine.
Mario: Grrrrr.
Tatanga: Mario, he gave you that thing?
Mario: Yes he did. He's a... bad version of me. He claims to be the evil that once was in me.
Tatanga: Well that is ridiculous. You could never have had any evil or you'd never have done even one of the things you've done for the kingdoms in our land.
Mario: Exactly. I'm trying to figure out where he REALLY came from.
Shadow Mario: SILENCE! You want to battle the leader, you go through me first. One-on-one, and you know who to use.
Mario: Yes. GO DARK CLONE!
Shadow Mario: Heh. Good. Still seems angered.
Dark Clone sees Shadow Mario and backs away.
Shadow Mario: HAH! GO JESTER!
Tatanga: Oh dear. Mario, I remember you mentioned that thing. Be careful.
Shadow Mario: Yes yes, Mr. Alien. Mario, we begin and we begin, NOW!
Mario: LET'S DO IT! AND THIS TIME I'M GONNA WIN!
Shadow Mario: You can't win if your Koopamon hates you, now, can you?
Mario just smiles.
Mario: Dark Clone,
let's do this.
Chapter 22: A Koopamon's Toughest Decision
Mario: SHADOW BALL!
Dark Clone just stands, startled, which makes Shadow Mario grin.
Shadow Mario: Apparently just battling me is enough to spook him. HAHAHA!
Mario: Come on, SHADOW BALL!
Dark Clone backs further from Jester and Shadow Mario.
Shadow Mario: Ah, let's end this. JESTER, USE MAGIC TRICK!
Jester swings his arms apart and a card magically appears. It then flies at Dark Clone and blows up in front of him, causing smoke to fly up. Jester flies through the smoke and beats Dark Clone with Shadow Punch.
Mario: DARK CLONE! NOOOO!
Tatanga: Mario, that is Dark Clone's old master. You can't expect him to not know what to do.
Mario: Grrrrrr.
Shadow Mario: Finish him with FLAME STONE!
A huge fireball comes flying towards Dark Clone.
Mario: DODGE!
Dark Clone jumps away.
Mario: At least he dodges.
Shadow Mario: HE DODGED BECAUSE HE WANTED TO STAY IN BATTLE. NOT BECAUSE YOU TOLD HIM TO! KOOPAMON I HAVE DON'T LISTEN TO PEOPLE LIKE YOU! DARK CLONE, YOU FOOL! YOU WILL FALL WITH MARIO! JESTER, USE PSYCHIC!
Jester glows and uses psychic powers to push Dark Clone towards the lava.
Mario: Dark Clone, look at you. You don't want to attack him and yet you see him there trying to destroy you. You need to listen to me. I AM the trainer who you need to listen to. He only wants to harm you.
Shadow Mario: Isn't working.
The black Duplighost with red eyes bursts free from the psychic attack and slams a shadow ball on Jester. Jester falls over and begins to get back up. Dark Clone looks at Mario, and a tear comes to his eye.
Mario: Dark Clone, you know who to obey. You know who wants to hurt you and who wants to help you. You make the choice.
Shadow Mario: HAHAHAHA! USELESS! LET'S USE MOVE FOUR! THUNDERBOLT!
Mario: Dark Clone...
Mario stands there. Dark Clone jumps aside. Dark Clone wipes his tears away and gets into a fighting pose. He begins to glow and a burst of light occurs. Te light fades away to reveal to a white Duplighost with black eyes.
Shadow Mario: N...n...no... Not possible. HOW?
Mario: DARK CLONE... CLONE, USE YOU SHADOW BALL!
The Shadow Ball flies at Jester and hits him, and an explosion occurs. When it fades away, Jester is down and out.
Tatanga: Mario...
Shadow Mario: Wha... Why? My creation... the Koopamon of darkness... the embodiment of evil... How did you...?
Mario: It looks like my heart was pure enough.
Shadow Mario: Grrrrr...
Mario: Tell me what you really are.
Shadow Mario: No... I told you already.
Mario: And I say you LIE!
Shadow Mario: Hmmmmm. You haven't seen the last of me. Trust me you haven't. Jester was only a weak Koopamon. I have many more... many who will see to your downfall.
Shadow Mario disappears.
Mario: Clone... thank you.
Clone smiles as Mario recalls him.
Tatanga: Way to go, Mario. Do you want to keep going?
Mario: Definitely.
Tatanga: Okay.
Chapter 23: The Big Climb
Mario: Okay, let's get up there.
Tatanga: Yes. Let's do it.
Mario: How do we get up there?
Tatanga: I think we go from cloud to cloud.
Mario: Yeah... but how? We can't jump that high.
Tatanga: ... Right.
Mario: Well there must be something.
Tatanga: ... Right..... OH OH OH! PSYCHIC, PSYCHIC!
Mario: What?
Tatanga: GO MAGIKOOPA! HIT US WITH PSYCHIC.
Mario: WHAT?
Magikoopa emerges from the Koopaball and uses Psychic and lifts them up. They are placed on a moving cloud.
Tatanga: YES!
Mario: Okay, so let's just do that a couple more times, and we are set.
Tatanga: Yup. Magikoopa, come on up and keep lifting us up to the top.
Magikoopa levitates up to them and they begin a constant floating up from cloud to cloud until they reach the top and are on the edge.
Tatanga: Good job. Return, Magikoopa! Now, where is he?
Mario: Yeah.
While they talk, the lava begins to bubble.
Mario: Tatanga, do you know the leader?
Tatanga: No, but you know her.
Mario: I do? Well I know them all, so there goes me being surprised.
Tatanga: I believe she ventured with you.
Mario: Oh... Fire type... Fire type..
?????: Mario. MARIO!
Mario turns around to see Vivian lunging at him. She gives him a hug.
Mario: Hello Vivian. Are you the leader here?
Vivian: Yes I am. Oh, it's SO good to see you again. I guess you being here means you beat Grodus in the Island Kingdom.
Mario: Yes.
-----Flash Back-----
Mario: B. BASS, USE HYDRO PUMP
The hydro pump bounces off the ground and up into Hand Fake, sending the paralyze sign flying.
Grodus: Grrrrr... SWORD SIGN!
Hand Fake holds up a sign with a sword on it, and swords are sent flying at B. Bass.
Mario: YES! HYDRO PUMP!
B. Bass blows away the swords and belts Hand Fake into a knockout.
Mario: YYYYEEEEESSSSS!
-------------------------------
Mario: I almost lost, though.
Tatanga just grins at hearing this.
Vivian: Oh now, Mario. Don't be so modest. I whooped his butt.
Mario: Wow... Ummm, if you don't mind, could we start? I'm so excited.
Vivian: I am too. Three on three.
Mario: As always. Okay then.
Vivian: I am gym leader six, so I must inform you that if you win, the last two gym leaders will be four on four.
Mario: OOOOOHHHHHH, YAY! I like that.
Vivian: I know...
That's why I'm here. I didn't have four Koopamon so I was unable to beat
leader seven. Well, either way, that was a different match. That was then,
this is now, and now we begin. GO PYRO GUY!
Chapter 24: A HOT HOT Match
Vivian releases a flaming Shy Guy.
Mario: Okay then. Let's start with GO B. BASS!
Vivian: Water, huh? Tee-hee. That is the classic move, I see. Which is why I have come prepared for this. SUNNY DAY!
The sun brightens and beams of light beat down on the ground.
Mario: So HYDRO PUMP!
The blast is shot, but the sun dries up 75% of it and Pyro Guy barely takes damage.
Mario: Oh, I hate that so much. Use Ice Beam.
Vivian: USE LIGHT SCREEN THEN FIRE BLAST!
Pyro Guy puts up a wall that blocks the beam, then fires a huge blast of fire that pushes B. Bass towards the edge.
Mario: Darn. BOUNCE!
B. Bass bounces to the side and fires hydro pump at Pyro Guy, but the sun and light screen are still in play and drop the power of the blast by 87.5 percent. Pyro Guy just shakes it off.
Vivian: HOP ON IN!
Pyro Guy jumps into the lava and springs out in front of B. Bass.
Vivian: SHADOW BALL!
Pyro Guy charges up a Shadow Ball.
Mario: NOW USE YOUR HYDRO PUMP!
B. Bass gets a close shot so the sun won't have time to dry the blast up. Only 50% instead of 87.5% is dried up, and Pyro Guy is pushed away so the Shadow Ball misses.
Vivian: JUST USE FIRE BLAST NOW!
Pyro Guy begins shooting off many blasts of fire that barely miss B. Bass as he hops along the side. The heat begins to get to B. Bass and he begins to release a bit of steam. The intense sun fades.
Vivian: Sunny Day.
The sun reintensifies.
Mario: Darn it. I need a plan, and quick.
Vivian: FIRE BLAST!
The blast hits and knocks B. Bass on his side.
Mario: Oh boy... OH! B. BASS! GET UP AND FIRE HYDRO PUMP AT THE SUN!
Vivian: What will that do?
B. Bass sends a Hydro Pump into the sky and continues aiming it into the air. The sun rays beat down on the Hydro Pump and it begins to lower. B. Bass repowers the blast and it overpowers the heat. B. Bass stops the blast and what was shot flies up, bursts into thousands of rain drops, and spills down.
Mario: HYDRO PUMP IT!
Vivian: OH DEAR GOD NO!
B. Bass uses the Hydro Pump's rainy end as a power-up for Hydro Pump and blasts Pyro Guy hard. The blast is reduced from 150% to 75% due to the light screen.
Mario: YES!
Vivian: It's still not full power, though.
The light screen shatters and the blast regains its full 50% boost to 150%. The blast knocks Pyro Guy into one big knockout.
Vivian: WOW, MARIO! That was amazing. Very clever. Return. Now try this. GO ANGRY SUN!
Vivian releses a sun that floats up into the sky.
Vivian: Now we have two suns. which means SUNNY DAY!
The sun really gets hot and twice as effective.
Mario: Oh, now I've got it coming to me.
Vivian: The first sun powers my fire moves by 50%. In other words it's at 150%. This is powered by another 50%, meaning 75% or 225% power.
Mario: ... BOUNCE BOUNCE BOUNCE AND COMBINE WITH HYDRO PUMP ON THE GROUND!
B. Bass bounces higher and higher and propells himself up into Angry Sun so hard it propels Angry Sun higher and up into a cloud, blocking off some of his sun beams so fire moves are now at 190% power instead. B. Bass lands knocked out due to the extreme heat.
Mario: Return. I need something different. GO CLONE! LET'S SEE WHAT YOU CAN DO!
Mario releases Clone.
Mario: SHADOW BALL!
Clone launches several Shadow Balls up into Angry Sun's cloud. Nothing appears to have happened as nothing comes out of it.
Mario: What? Did it miss?
Vivian: Yes. While you weren't paying attention, this happened. FIRE BLAST!
Angry Sun moves out from being alligned with the real sun, and launches Fire Blast into Clone, sending him flying.
Mario: DARN IT! I can't let this go two on one in her favor. I need to kill that sunlight. Wait... Clone must have got a new move by NOW! Let's try one out.
Vivian: Oh no you don't, you silly willy. USE FLARE BUST!
Angry Sun breaks into MANY fireballs that launch one at a time at Clone.
Mario: USE DARK HOLE! Then we'll use a new one.
Clone opens a hole and the fireballs fall in and are spit out recombined as Angry Sun.
Vivian: SUNNY DAY THEN FIRE BLAST!
The sun intensifies.
Mario: Oh no you don't. SHADOW SKY!
Clone launches a small black ball into the sky and a portal opens up, blocking the sun. A huge number of mini shadow pellets rain down on the field and begind pelting Angry Sun, distracting it.
Mario: SHADOW BALL!
Clone sends Shadow Ball into Angry Sun, which causes an explosion. Angry Sun drops down to level with Clone.
Mario: Hehehe. SHADOW HOLD!
Clone flings out a shadow rope and grips Angry Sun.
Vivian: So GO UP!
Angry Sun goes up but due to the rope, Clone is pulles up too. Clone climbs the rope and gets a head-on, up close, direct Shadow Ball blast right into Angry Sun's face, blowing them apart. Both Koopamon land by their trainers, and Angry Sun is down and out.
Vivian: Return. Very good, Mario, VERY good. GO PHANTOM EMBER!
Vivian releases a green Ember that plops down in the lava.
Mario: That shouldn't be hard... NO! I can't say that. I remember what happened last time I thought something weak-looking would be weak. I remember Mack's Podoboo. CLONE, USE YOUR SHADOW BALL!
Clone sends hundreds of Shadow Balls at Phantom Ember, but it goes under the lava, avoiding them.
Vivian: WILL-O-WISP!
Mario: Wha?
Phantom Ember bounces out for a split second to hit Clone with a blue fireball, which burns him. Clone begins to take damage slowly, while none of his attacks will hit the Phantom Ember while it's under the lava.
Vivian: Tough luck, Mario: only one person beat my Phantom Ember, and that's gym leader seven.
Mario: Clone, do you want to come back?
Clone kneels in pain from the burn, and looks at Mario and nods.
Mario: Okay. I'm sorry, Clone.
Mario recalls him.
Vivian: Wow, that was very good of you, Mario. Prevent it from going through that pain. You do realize you just put yourself in a tough spot, though?
Mario: Not exactly. Because HERE COME MECHA B!
Mario releases Mecha Blooper, which floats in the air.
Vivian: Okay then. You've got some good Koopamon, Mario. Thing is, mine are better. USE FIRE RING!
The whole inner ring of the volcano gets a huge ring of fire around it, blocking the trainers from seeing in it. Mecha B and Phantom Ember are both trapped inside it.
Mario: Oh no you don't. I've face something like this before. AQUA BALL!
Mecha B encases himself in a huge bubble that slowly increases his energy while protecting him from the heat.
Vivian: Phantom Ember, use Phantom Flames.
A HUGE green fireball falls from the sky into the ring of fire.
Mario: PROTECT, THEN IRON BALL!
Mecha B puts up a shield, protecting himself, then fires off Iron Balls that blast Phantom Ember. Phentom Ember drops into the lava.
Vivian: Can you see through the ring, Mario? I can.
Mario: No, I can't, and you know it. In this case, LET'S GO WILD WITH IRON BALL!
The lava begins to bubble as Mecha B launches a masive number of Iron Balls into the lava. Phantom Ember leaps up and singes the bottom of Mecha B. The fire ring goes down.
Mario: What? Where is he...? OH MY GOD! YOUR TORPEDOES! GET RID OF THEM! QUICK!
Mecha B releases his torpedoes and regains new ones.
Vivian: Darn, I forgot it could do that. FIRE BLAST!
A huge stream of fire shoots out of the lava and encases Mecha B's Aqua Bubble and destroys it. Phantom Ember bounces out of the lava and begins to fall towards Mecha B's head.
Mario: MOVE BACK AND USE IRON BALL!
Mecha B moves away and slams an Iron Ball on Phantom Ember in the middle of its drop, sending it flying. It still falls in the lava, though.
Vivian: YES! USE FIRE BLAST!
Mario: PROTECT!
Mecha B blocks the hit.
Mario: I really need to think here.
Vivian: And yet I'm not giving you the time to. FIRE BLAST!
Mario: HYDRO PUMP!
The blasts collide and turn to steam.
Mario: Ha.
Vivian: Use Fire Blast again.
Mario: Protect.
Mecha B blocks the damage.
Vivian: COME OUT UNDER IT!
Phantom Ember goes to shoot out under Mecha B, but it floats higher so he can't be reached. Phantom Ember follows the bounce with a headbutt and hits Mecha B, causing him to spin in circles.
Mario: HIT IT WITH IRON BALL!
Mecha B sends loads of Iron Balls down into the lava, to no avail.
Mario: Oh, that is it. I'm getting mad now.
Vivian: Can't hurt him if you can't see him.
Mario: I can see that... Oh, why didn't I think of it? I just need Hydro Pump.
Vivian: FIRE BLAST!
Phantom Ember leaps out and fires Fire Blast, but it is turned to steam by Hydro Pump. This goes on three more times.
Mario: I can't get at it. Stupid fire blocks it. At least the water stops the fire, making steam... making it steam.
Vivian: Repeating yourself, eh? Poor Mario, you must be going paranoid from the beating you're receiving.
Mario: NO WAY, VIVIAN! I'M WINNING THIS ONE! IGNORE PHANTOM EMBER, MECHA B.
Vivian: Huh? To win you can't ignore him.
Mario: HYDRO PUMP THE LAVA!
Vivian: WOAH NO! DON'T DO THAT!
Mecha B sprays the lava, and steam is formed and fills the whole area. More and more steam appears as Mecha B spills out the Hydro Pump into the lava.
Vivian: OH GOD! PHANTOM EMBER! USE FIRE BLAST!
Due to all the smoke, Phantom Ember can't see and misses. He goes back below.
Mario: Keep it up. I can't see but I know what's happening.
Vivian: NO NO NO NO NO NO! FREAKING STINKING NO!
Mecha B stops and after a minute or so the steam fades away. The lava is GONE!
Vivian: Oh no... You killed the lava. PHANTOM EMBER!
The two trainers look into the volcano and see Phantom Ember floating around below.
Mario: GET DOWN THERE AND HYDRO PUMP IT!
Vivian: I will fight right down to the nity gritty itty bitty kitty ditty.
Mario: ... Wha?
Vivian: Whatever. FIRE BLAST!
Mecha B comes flying downward, firing Hydro Pump. Phantom Ember flies up a Fire Blast. The blasts combine to make steam, and the Koopamon collide and a huge blast of steam with a bit of water and fire emit. The blast ends and Phantom Ember is nowhere to be seen. They look at the ground to see that Phantom Ember dropped from the blast and is down and out on the ground.
Vivian: Return. Congratulations, Mario.
Mario: Thank you.
Vivian: I'm so glad to have got to battle somebody like you, and I'm glad you won. It shows me that I need to train more and to expect anything. Thank you for the honor. I present you with the Scorched Badge and the TM for Fire Ring. Goodbye, Mario.
Mario: Thank you, Vivian. Goodbye.
Mario and Tatanga head off.
Tatanga: Wow, Mario. Good job.
Mario: Thank you. Sirena Beach now, right?
Tatanga: That's right. And that means you're almost done.
Mario: That's right.
With that, they head off to Sirena Beach.