Chapter 2: The Cold War
Mario was in E. Gadd's lab, as E. Gadd was examining the map on the sun piece.
"Do you know where that thing on the map is?" asked Mario.
"Yes," replied E. Gadd. "This map is showing that a sun piece is located in Fahr Outpost."
"Oh, I know where that is," said Mario.
"So you know how to get there?" asked E. Gadd.
"Yes," said Mario.
"Well, then I guess you're off," said E. Gadd. "Good luck."
Mario waved as he left the lab and went through the pipe leading to Fahr Outpost. Mario arrived, and saw Fahr Outpost didn't look too different.
"This looks exactly like it always does," said Mario.
Mario went out on the snow and started sinking on his snowboard. "Woah," said Mario. "The snow is powdery and deep."
Mario begans plowing his way through the thick snow when a Frost Piranha came up.
Mario HP: 20/20
Vs.
Frost Piranha HP: 6/6
"I've fought these things before," said Mario. "It shouldn't be any harder than last time." Mario hammered the Frost Piranha.
"Prepare for pain," said Frost Piranha. Frost Piranha burrowed under the snow and emerges under Mario, biting him.
"Ouch!" shouted Mario.
Mario HP: 16/20
Vs.
Frost Piranha HP: 2/6
"This ought to finish you off," said Mario. Mario whacked Frost Piranha with his hammer.
"Ack!" cried Frost Piranha.
Mario HP: 16/20
Vs.
Frost Piranha HP: 0/6
"That was easy," said Mario.
Mario continued on until another Frost Piranha appeared.
Mario HP: 16/20
Vs,
Frost Piranha HP: 6/6
"Not another one of you," said Mario.
"I'm tougher than all my other brothers," said Frost Piranha.
Mario whacked Frost Piranha with his snowboard.
"I'm warning you, I'm not a push over," said Frost Piranha. Frost Piranha burrowed underground. Mario moved out of the way, and when Frost Piranha came back up, he whacked it with his snowboard. "No!" cried Frost Piranha.
"Sure you're not a pushover," mocked Mario. "Sure."
Mario HP: 16/20
Vs.
Frost Piranha HP: 0/6
Mario continued on. "Hey, I'm almost there," said Mario.
When Fahr Outpost came into view, an Ice Puff came toward Mario. "Wow, another fight," moaned Mario.
Mario HP: 25/25
Vs.
Ice Puff HP: 9/9
"Well, I've fought you before," said Mario. "So you should be pretty easy for me to beat." Mario jumped on Ice Puff.
"You're good," said Ice Puff. "I need to charge up now for my powerful strike." Ice Puff began charging up ice and snow.
Mario HP: 25/25
Vs.
Ice Puff HP: 5/9
"Oh no," said Mario. "He's charging up. I hope this hit kills him." Mario jumped on Ice Puff with his snowboard. "What?" gasped Mario in surprise. "He's still alive?"
"Now feel the power of my blizzard attack!" shouted Ice Puff. Ice Puff blew ice, snow, and cold at Mario.
"Ahh!" shouted Mario, due to the extreme cold he was hit with.
Mario HP: 19/25
Vs.
Ice Puff HP: 1/9
"Well at least I can finish him off now," said Mario. Mario jumped on Ice Puff.
"Ack!" shouted Ice Puff.
Mario HP: 19/25
Vs.
Ice Puff HP: 0/9
"Well, I think I finally cleared this path of all the enemies," said Mario. "Now I can finally get to Fahr Outpost.
Mario took a few more steps, and finally reached Fahr Outpost. He saw all the Bob-ombs there were in the center of town, scurrying about as they grabbed cannons and missiles. "I wonder what's going on," thought Mario.
Mario pushed his way through the Bob-ombs and saw General White. "What's going on?" asked Mario.
"Mario, you've come just in time!" exclaimed General White. "You see, Big Bob-omb and his Bob-ombs from Bob-omb Mountain want to eliminate us so they can be the most powerful Bob-ombs on the planet. We're in an intense war with them. What brings you all the way out here?"
"I'm looking for a Sun Piece," said Mario.
"Do you mean that thing?" asked General White, pointing to a shining piece on the door of his house.
"That's it!" exclaimed Mario. "May I have it?"
"Under one condition," said General White. "You need to help us beat Big Bob-omb and his Bob-ombs."
"How can I do that?" asked Mario.
"Well first, you can go grab the box of cannonballs behind the inn," said General White. "Once you get those we can start launching cannonballs at them."
"I'll do it!" cheered Mario.
Mario begins heading toward the inn. On his way he passed several bombs who were working on dragging the biggest cannon.
"Hey Mario, can you give us a hand?" asked one of the Bob-ombs.
"Sure," said Mario. Mario got behind the cannon and helped push it toward the center of town.
"Thanks!" shouted all the Bob-ombs.
"No problem," said Mario.
Just then, a bomb landed on a house nearby. "They're attacking!" shouted General White. "Hurry up with those cannonballs!"
Mario began darting through town on his snowboard. After a minute, he reached the inn. "Now for those cannonballs," said Mario.
Mario went behind the inn to see two Bob-ombs in Big Bob-omb's troop trying to run away with the crate of cannonballs. "Stop right there!" shouted Mario.
Mario HP: 19/25
Vs.
Bob-omb HP: 5/5
Bob-omb HP: 5/5
"These guys always give me trouble," said Mario. Mario jumped on one with his snowboard.
"Die!" shouted that Bob-omb. The Bob-omb charged toward Mario and exploded on him. The Bob-omb then disintegrated.
"Now it's my turn," said the other Bob-omb. The other Bob-omb exploded on Mario, but not hard enough to cause him to disintegrate.
Mario HP: 12/25
Vs.
Bob-omb HP: 0/5
Bob-omb HP: 3/5
"Now I can finish you pests off," said Mario.
Mario hammered the last Bob-omb, which then burst and disintegrated.
Mario HP: 12/25
Vs.
Bob-omb HP: 0/5
Bob-omb HP: 0/5
The Bob-omb dropped the case of cannonballs and lay motionless in the snow.
"That's what you get for trying to steal," said Mario. Mario grabbed the crate of cannonballs and began heading back through town. "Now to get these to General White," said Mario.
Mario glided into the center of town. "Here you go," said Mario.
"Excellent," said General White. "Just in time!"
General White began loading the cannonballs in. "I'll help," said Mario.
With the aid of Mario, General White was able to load the cannon full of cannonballs. "Thanks," said General White.
General White approached the cannon. "Steady... Aim... Fire!" shouted General White.
General White began launching cannonballs up at Big Bob-omb. One of them hit their bomb blaster, which caused the bomb blaster to burst, killing many Bob-ombs that were surrounding it.
"Nice!" shouted Mario.
"We g-" started General White, before he was hit with a missile.
"General White!" shouted Mario.
"M-M-Mario...Go... attack... B-B-Big Bob-omb... Fight him f-f-f-f-for me," said General White, who was obviously in great pain.
"You can count on me," said Mario.
Mario headed toward the hill Big Bob-omb was sitting atop of and slowly began to climb the hill. Big Bob-omb noticed Mario and began throwing Bob-ombs at him. Mario swerved left and right to avoid the bombs being thrown. After several minutes of climbing and dodging, Mario finally reached the top of the hill, where Big Bob-omb was awaiting him with a stern look on his face.
"So, we meet again," said Big Bob-omb.
"Indeed," said Mario.
"I'll cut you a break, son," said Big Bob-omb. "You join my side in this war and I won't have to hurt you. Do you agree?"
"Never," protested Mario.
"Then you've left me no choice," said Big Bob-omb. "Prepare for your downfall."
Mario HP: 30/30
Vs.
Big Bob-omb HP: 30/30
"This brings back nostalgia," said Mario. "It feels like just yesterday I fought him." Mario jumped on Big Bob-omb.
"You've yet to improve since our last fight," said Big Bob-omb. "That will be your downfall, as I've improved greatly." Big Bob-omb threw a Bob-omb at Mario.
"How very different from last time," Mario said sarcastically.
Mario HP: 27/30
Vs.
Big Bob-omb HP: 26/30
"I wonder if this would work well," thought Mario. "Only way to know is to try it out..."
Mario began moving on his snowboard, and skidded right in front of Big Bob-omb, spraying snow in his face. "Ahh!" shouted Big Bob-omb, whipping the snow off his face. "You're in for a world of hurt now. I went easy on you last time."
"Sure you did," said Mario.
Big Bob-omb curled into a ball and rolled over Mario.
"Well I see you've adopted a fighting move that doesn't involve Bob-ombs," said Mario.
Mario HP: 23/30
Vs.
Big Bob-omb HP: 21/30
"Since he doesn't seem to like snow, I'll give him another taste," said Mario. Mario ran up in front of Big Bob-omb and whacked his snowboard on the ground, sending Big Bob-omb as well as tons of snow, up into the air. However, Mario didn't get out of the way in time and Big Bob-omb fell right back on top of him. "That failed," said Mario as he climbed out from under Big Bob-omb.
"You are one stupid fool," said Big Bob-omb. "I almost feel pity for you. Almost."
Big Bob-omb threw a Bob-omb at Mario. However, since Mario was half expecting it, he was able to deflect the Bob-omb with his snowboard back at Big Bob-omb.
"You stink!" shouted Big Bob-omb.
Mario HP: 19/30
Vs.
Big Bob-omb HP: 13/30
"I'll take this easy shot," said Mario. Mario went up to whack Big Bob-omb with his snowboard. However, Big Bob-omb grabbed Mario by his snowboard and threw him back down in the snow. "Playing hard ball, now, I see," said Mario.
"It will only get harder," said Big Bob-omb.
Big Bob-omb opened his mouth, and a herd of Bob-ombs came out and started marching toward Mario. Mario was able to whack the first few back at Big Bob-omb, but the rest exploded on him.
Mario HP: 14/30
Vs.
Big Bob-omb HP: 10/30
"I think victory may be a short way off," said Mario.
Mario slid up to Big Bob-omb and skidded, spewing snow into Big Bob-omb's face. "You're getting on my nerves," said Big Bob-omb.
Big Bob-omb began rolling toward Mario. However, Mario moved out of his way, and he rolled straight into a rock. "Ouch!" shouted Big Bob-omb.
Mario HP: 14/30
Vs.
Big Bob-omb HP: 3/30
"Time to finish you off once and for all," said Mario. Mario whacked his snowboard on the ground, sending Big Bob-omb flying into the sky. Mario moved out of the way, and didn’t get hit when Big Bob-omb crashed to the ground. "Ha!" laughed Mario.
Mario HP: 14/30
Vs.
Big Bob-omb HP: 0/30
Big Bob-omb was lying hurt in the snow. "Retreat, boys... Retreat," called Big Bob-omb, as he dragged himself up and out.
Mario watched as Big Bob-omb left. "Now time to get my sun piece," said Mario.
Mario began snowboarding down the hill. However, he saw one last Bob-omb down in the valley shooting Bullet Bills at him. "No!" said Mario. Mario saw a Bullet Bill coming at him. He spun and jumped over it. Mario then saw one more and ducked down on his snowboard, and the Bullet Bill narrowly missed his head. Mario turned himself to put him on a path to hit that last Bob-omb. Mario saw another Bullet Bill, which he jumped on and grinded off of. He then took a big leap through the air, and landed on the lone Bob-omb shooting the Bullet Bills, crushing him. Mario then glided down to the town.
"Mario, you saved us!" cheered General White. All of Fahr Outpost began applauding Mario. "Thanks to you, we are safe from those pathetic excuses for Bob-ombs," said General White.
"It was nothing," said Mario.
"Now, for helping us, here's the reward you asked for," said General White, as he handed Mario the sun piece.
"Thanks!" said Mario.
"No," said General White. "Thank YOU!"
Mario left Fahr Outpost and jumped through the pipe back to E. Gadd's lab.
***
"Curses, we have no leads," said a voice.
"This angers me," said another voice.
"Maybe we should try communicating with some people here," said the first voice.
"But they are so inferior to us," said the second voice.
"We will use highly simplistic language when dealing with them," the first voice spoke again.
***
Kamek entered Bowser's room.
"I thought I told you not to come back until you find those sun pieces," said Bowser.
"Yes," said Kamek, "but Mario is also searching for them.
"What?!" yelled Bowser. "That no good plumber is always ruining my plans!"
"Well, he kind of has one of the sun pieces," said Kamek.
"You let him get one?!" snapped Bowser.
"Umm... Yeah," said Kamek.
"You're useless!" snapped Bowser. "I swear, when you want something done right, you have to do it yourself," said Bowser.
He stomped out of the castle, off to find the sun pieces, as well as Mario along the way.