Chapter 8: Nuclear Winter
Mario and Rus walked into E. Gadd’s lab.
"Did you get it?" asked E. Gadd.
"You bet," said Rus. Mario showed E. Gadd the sun piece.
"Perfect," said E. Gadd. "This sun piece should reveal the location of the final sun piece! Let me just go analyze it." E. Gadd went to analyze the sun piece.
"I can't believe we're almost done," said Mario.
"I know's," said Rus. "It seems like just yesterday you first told me about them, and now, we're only one away from having them all."
"Bowser won't get away with this one," said Mario.
"That be for sure," said Rus.
E. Gadd returned from his lab. "Where be the next piece?" asked Rus.
"The nuclear plant," said E. Gadd. "Trust me, this is not good."
"Why?" asked Mario.
"The sun piece gives off heat," said E. Gadd. "Heat in a nuclear plant is bad. If you don't get it quickly, it would spell disaster."
"We better get going," said Rus.
"You guys really should," said E. Gadd. "Be careful. There could be all sorts of toxic chemicals that formed there with these conditions."
"How can we get there?" asked Mario.
"There is a pipe next to my lab," said E. Gadd.
"Let's hurry," said Mario. "We don't know how much time we have left."
Rus and Mario ran out their lab.
"We's better rush through this," said Rus, sprinting to the pipe.
"Yeah," said Mario. "I don't think I've had an adventure where I've had to rush this fast before."
Mario and Rus reached the pipe and jumped through it. They emerged in front of Plit's nuclear plant. Everything around it seemed calm. "It seems too calm," said Mario.
"Indeed," agreed Rus.
"Well, it doesn't look like anything has happened yet, so I guess we have more time than we thought," explained Mario.
"Yeah, but we should still go as fast as possible," said Rus.
The two pushed through the doors of the nuclear plant, and were in the lobby. "Nothing seems too out of the ordinary here," said Mario.
"Yeah," said Rus. There was a door in front of them, to the left, and to the right of them. "Which door should we's go though first?" asked Rus.
"Let's try straight ahead," suggested Mario. The two walked up and tried to go through the door, but it was stuck. "It won't open," said Mario.
"That be's a problem," said Rus.
The two peered through a window, and saw the sun piece. "That's it!" shouted Mario.
"Yeah, but look where it be," said Rus. The two looked over, to see the sun piece surrounded by tons of barrels of toxic chemicals. Smoke could be seen coming through barrels and was starting to fill the room. Mario and Rus could tell the temperature in there was rising. "We's need to get's in there!" shouted Rus.
"Hey, there's a sign," Mario pointed out.
Indeed there was a sign outside of the door they were peering in. It read "If someone wishes to access the storage room of our most toxic and dangerous chemicals, they must find the needed gears to open the lock on the door. Those pieces can be found throughout the plant."
"So we have to search for gears," said Mario. "Let's go!"
"Which way should we go first?" asked Rus. "Left or right?"
"It doesn't matter, as we'll probably have to go both ways to get them all," said Mario. "I guess we can start out on the left."
Mario and Rus headed through the door on the left. They were in a hallway with a door at the end and a couple of doors along the hallway that led into rooms. "Should we's just search these rooms one by one?" asked Rus.
"I guess it's the only way," said Mario. The two entered the first room they came to. The room was set up like a meeting room. In the center there was a table. On top of the table was a small figure with a cannon for an arm.
"Guh!" shouted the figure. "Get lost!"
Guck Gunner HP: 15/15
Vs.
Mario HP: 70/70
Rus HP: 20/20
"This guy doesn't look too tough," said Mario. Mario jumped on Guck Gunner with his snowboard.
"Yeah, he look weak," said Rus. Rus hammered him hard.
"Leave now!" shouted Guck Gunner, who cocked his gun and fired shots of chemical waste at Mario and Rus. The shots came slowly, and Mario and Rus dodged every one.
"Told you he was weak," said Mario.
Guck Gunner HP: 5/15
Vs.
Mario HP: 70/70
Rus HP: 20/20
"I can end this right here," said Mario. Mario ran up and started repeatedly whacking him while spinning the snowboard on his feet.
"You guys stink," said Guck Gunner, as his gun detached and he fell to the ground.
Guck Gunner HP: 0/15
Vs.
Mario HP: 70/70
Rus HP: 20/20
Guck Gunner disintegrated into a pile of toxic chemicals. "Woah, that thing was made of toxic chemicals," said Mario.
"It be's a good thing we's dodged the toxic guck he be shooting at's us," said Rus.
"Well, now that he's gone, let's search the room," said Mario.
The two searched the room. They opened every drawer, looked under every chair, yet found nothing. "Guess there be nothing in here," said Rus.
"Let's just go search another room," said Mario. Mario and Rus exited the room and went into another. This room appeared to be a file room, as there were tons of file cabinets. "Well, let's begin searching," said Mario.
Mario and Rus walked into the room, but something grabbed Rus's leg. "Gah!" shouted Rus. "Who be there?"
Mario and Rus turned around and saw a pile of toxic sludge, with a face and arms. "Woah," said Mario.
Poison Pile HP: 12/12
Vs.
Mario HP: 70/70
Rus HP: 20/20
"This thing doesn't look too hard," said Mario.
"My best advice would be to not jump on it," said Rus. "You'se don’t want that poison getting on you."
"True," said Mario. "I think we should stick with hammering it." Mario hammered Poison Pile. "Well it looks like nothing rubbed off on me," said Mario.
"That be good," said Rus. Rus ran up and cracked his hammer down on Poison Pile.
"Get set to get wet," said Poison Pile. "In poison that is." Poison Pile slipped underground, and emerged right under Mario, covering him in the poison.
"Mario, you all right?" asked Rus, with great concern.
"I'll be fine," said Mario. "I don't think I've been poisoned."
Poison Pile HP: 0/12
Vs.
Mario HP: 66/70
Rus HP: 20/20
"Well, since you'se be fine, then we's should search this room now," said Rus.
"All right," said Mario. Mario and Rus began searching. They opened every cabinet, looked in every folder, but like the last room, they found nothing. "Well, there appears to be nothing here," said Mario.
"Wait!" shouted Rus. "Look what I found."
Mario walked over. "What's that?" asked Mario.
"I don't know," said Rus.
The object was glowing. Rus touched it. The object's glow went to Rus and Rus glowed for a second, then stopped. The object stopped glowing.
"What happened?" asked Mario.
"I feel stronger," said Rus. "I feel like I have much better stamina then before."
"Wow, so it was good," said Mario. "I don't think I should try, as it stopped glowing."
"Hopefully there will be another one," said Rus. "That one made me feel refreshed."
"Well, maybe there's one in the next room," said Mario.
The two began to leave the room, when Rus noticed something. "Mario, look at these!" exclaimed Rus.
"Is it another of what you found?" asked Mario.
"No," said Rus. "It appears to be anti-poison bracelets."
"What?" asked Mario as he walked over to Rus.
"It says if we's put these on, we's can't get poisoned," said Rus, as he slid one on his wrist.
"That's good," said Mario. "Last fight was a bit too close for comfort." Mario slid one on his wrist. "All right, we can leave now," said Mario.
The two left the room and crossed over to the next room.. This room appeared to be a simple office. Inside was a short, troll-like figure. "Hey, who dares enter my room?" demanded the troll.
"I did!" shouted Rus, showing no fear of the creature.
"You shall die!" yelled the troll-like figure.
Toxic Troll HP: 13/13
Vs.
Mario HP: 66/70
Rus HP: 40/40
"He seems to be weak," said Mario.
"I'm not weak!" shouted Toxic Troll. "I'll give you losers a good pounding!"
"Sure," said Mario. Mario slammed his snowboard on the ground in front of Toxic Troll and sent him shooting into the air and crashing back down. "Who's weak now?" asked Mario.
"Still you," said Toxic Troll.
"We'll see," said Rus. Rus ran up and whacked his hammer on Toxic Troll.
"Ouch!" yelled Toxic Troll. "Dirty morons." Toxic Troll pulled out a beaker of chemicals, then hurled it at Mario and Rus. The chemicals spilled on them both. "Why aren't you guys poisoned?" asked Toxic Troll.
"We's be cool like that," joked Rus.
Toxic Troll HP: 2/13
Vs.
Mario HP: 63/70
Rus HP: 37/40
"I'll finish you off," said Mario, as he jumped on Toxic Troll.
"Gah!" shouted Toxic Troll. "You guys stink."
Toxic Troll HP: 0/13
Vs.
Mario HP: 63/70
Rus HP: 37/40
Toxic Troll was lying hurt on the ground. "I hate you guys," said Toxic Troll, as he ran out of the room.
"That guy sure knows how to shoot his mouth off," said Mario.
"But he be all talk and no walk," said Rus.
"Exactly," said Mario.
"I hate wimps that think they be so tough like he does," said Rus.
"I know what you mean," said Mario.
Mario and Rus searched the room. They looked everywhere thinkable, but still ended up empty-handed. "Man, that stinks," said Mario.
"Hey, we's still got the room at the end of the hallway," said Rus.
"Oh yeah," said Mario.
"I bet it be in that room," said Rus.
"Same here," agreed Mario.
Mario and Rus walked to the end of the hallway. They went through the door and entered a room. In the center there was a case with a gear inside. "It’s a gear!" exclaimed Mario.
"Indeed, it really be one," said Rus.
The two walked up to the case. "How are we going to open this?" asked Mario.
"There be some sort of box below," pointed Rus.
"Oh yeah," said Mario. "I bet that deactivates it." Mario pressed a button, and the case opened.
"Nice," said Rus.
Mario grabbed the gear. "All right, we need to find another one of these," said Mario.
"There be that other door at the lobby," said Rus.
"Yeah," said Mario. "The next sun piece is probably down there. Let's just head back to the lobby area now."
Mario and Rus left the room and headed back down the hallway. They left the hallway and returned to the lobby, where they went through the door adjacent to the door they had came out of. When they opened that door they were in another hallway that was identical to the previous hall.
"This be exactly alike the last one," said Rus.
"Yeah," said Mario.
"Should we search the same way as before?" asked Rus.
"It seems to be the best way," said Mario.
The two entered the first room. It was a lab with tables that had beakers on them. In the room there was a creature on flames. "Woah, intruders," said the creature.
Fire Fox HP: 15/15
Vs.
Mario HP: 75/75
Rus HP: 40/40
"Well it looks like we can't make any contact with this thing," said Mario.
"Yeah," said Rus. "We's don't want to burn."
"Yeah, we must attacks from a distance," said Mario. Mario smacked his snowboard on the ground and Fire Fox went flying into the air before crashing down to the floor.
"What shall I do about this?" asked Rus.
"Maybe you could try doing what I did," said Mario.
"All right," said Rus. Rus slammed his hammer on the ground. However, Fire Fox didn't get shot into the air. Instead, his hammer caused tremor waves to travel though the ground and hit Fire Fox. "That works," said Rus.
"You guys are tough intruders," said Fire Fox. Fire Fox began shooting fireballs from its skin. Luckily, Mario and Rus were able to dodge every one.
Fire Fox HP: 5/15
Vs.
Mario HP: 75/75
Rus HP: 40/40
"I think I can finish him off right here," said Mario. Mario slammed his snowboard on the ground, and Fire Fox got sent high into the air and crashed down on the floor.
Fire Fox HP: 0/15
Vs.
Mario HP: 75/75
Rus HP: 40/40
"You guys are the toughest intruders we've seen in a while," said Fire Fox. Fire Fox dashed out of the room.
"Since that's taken care of, now to search this room," said Mario. Mario and Rus began searching the room. They searched every part of the room imaginable, yet found nothing. "Let's move onto the next room," said Mario.
"Yeah," said Rus.
The two left the room, and entered the next room. The next room was another lab, this one holding a Chain Chomp. "Arf arf!" barked the Chain Chomp.
Poison Chomp HP: 12/12
Vs.
Mario HP: 75/75
Rus HP: 40/40
"You know, all these battles are starting to slow us down," said Mario.
"We's better finish this one fast," said Rus. "We's don't want it to be too late."
Mario ran at Poison Chomp with his snowboard and rammed him back into the wall. Rus then whacked Poison Chomp with his hammer.
"Arf arf,” barked Poison Chomp. Poison Chomp spit shots of poison that hit both Mario and Rus..
"Glad we found these anti-poison bracelets," said Mario.
"Yeah," said Rus, "or else we'd be in trouble."
Poison Chomp HP: 6/12
Vs.
Mario HP: 71/75
Rus HP: 37/40
"This guy has strong defense," said Mario.
"That he does," agreed Rus. "I'se still think we's can finish him off this time."
Mario rammed into Poison Chomp and sent him back into the wall again. "Huh, he still is alive," said Mario.
"I'll take care of him," said Rus. Rus smacked his hammer on Poison Chomp.
"Arf arf!" cried Poison Chomp.
Poison Chomp HP: 0/12
Vs.
Mario HP: 71/75
Rus HP: 37/40
"Well, let's search this room," said Mario.
"You'se do know there probably ain't going to be nothing in here," said Rus.
"I know," replied Mario. "We never know, so let's just search to be sure."
Mario and Rus searched through the room. As they expected, they found nothing. "Forget it," said Rus. "Let's just leave this room."
Mario and Rus left the room, somewhat frustrated, as they knew time was running short. "Forget the next room, let's just go to the room at the end of the hallway," said Mario.
"It probably be there anyway," said Rus. The two skipped the next room and headed straight for the room at the end of the hallway. They entered that room and saw a gear lying right in the center of the room, no case, nothing, just lying right on the floor. "Hey, we's be right," said Rus.
"Nice," said Mario. "I think we now have all the gears we need." Mario and Rus walked up to pick up the gear.
"Halt!" shouted a voice.
Mario and Rus stopped just before the gear and looked to the side, to see a figure coming out of the shadows. "Who be you?" asked Rus.
"We've beat all of your little friends, we can beat you," taunted Mario.
"I am Merlmur, the Koopa scientist who lives in this lab," said the figure. "I created all those creatures. The real question is, who in the name of all things decent are you two, and why are you here?"
"I am Mario," said Mario.
"And I be Rus," said Rus.
"We've come here to get a sun piece," said Mario.
"The one in the storage room right in front of the lobby?" asked Merlmur.
"Yeah," said Mario.
"No can do," said Merlmur. "You see, when that room overheats, it will release an explosion so massive, it will wreck everything. And the best part is I'll be able to avoid it all. So I say nay."
"We's got to have it," said Rus.
"And we're prepared to fight you!" shouted Mario.
"If it's a fight you want, it's a fight you get!" shouted Merlmur, pulling out a beaker.
Merlmur HP: 70/70
Vs.
Mario HP: 71/75
Rus HP: 37/40
"This guy looks like a dweeb," said Mario.
"He should be easy," said Rus.
Mario began by whacking him repeatedly with his snowboard spinning on his feet. "Yeah, he's weak," said Mario.
"Then he should be pretty easy," said Rus. Rus started spinning and released his hammer. It nailed Merlmur in the face and bounced back to Rus.
"Tougher than you look," said Merlmur.
"We've been told," said Mario.
"Well you're not tougher than me!" shouted Merlmur. Merlmur pulled out a laser and blasted a streak at Mario and Rus, hitting them.
Merlmur HP: 61/70
Vs.
Mario HP: 65/75
Rus HP: 31/40
"How's about a combo attack?" asked Mario.
"We's could probably do two," said Rus.
"You're right," said Mario. "Let's do the double hammer one first, then the run over one."
"All right," said Rus in agreement. Mario slammed his snowboard on the ground and sent Merlmur up into the air. Rus ran up and hit Merlmur into the wall on his way down.
"Ready for the next one?" asked Mario.
"You'se bet," said Rus. Mario started sliding on his snowboard to Merlmur. He ran him over and kicked him back, sending him sliding toward Rus on the somewhat icy floor. Rus then hit him back toward Mario, Mario hit him back toward Rus, and finally Rus smashed him into the ground.
"Time for support," said Merlmur. Merlmur pulled out a beaker and drank its contents. He then grew significantly in size. "Wait until next time," said a much larger Merlmur. “My attack will hurt so much you'll be crying for a week."
Merlmur HP: 47/70
Vs.
Mario HP: 65/75
Rus HP: 31/40
"I'll take this one on my own," said Mario. Mario threw his snowboard at Merlmur.
"As will I," said Rus. Rus gave Merlmur a good hard hit like always with his hammer.
"You guys are fools," said Merlmur. "Prepare to face my most powerful attack!" Merlmur lifted his arms and suddenly, the roof of the lab got ripped off. Steel clouds came over and started pouring chemicals down on Mario and Rus. Mario and Rus had no defense against the chemicals raining down.
Merlmur HP: 37/70
Vs.
Mario HP: 53/75
Rus HP: 19/40
"Hey, now snow is falling," said Mario.
"Nice," said Rus. "This be our time to get some good attacks on him."
"I'm going to use some moves that I haven't in a while, but they should work well here," said Mario. Mario started moving on his snowboard, and right before he reached Merlmur, he skidded, spraying snow in Merlmur's face.
"I be needing a good way to attack in this snowy terrain," said Rus.
"Maybe you could hammer snow at him," suggested Mario.
"Eh, why not?" said Rus. "I'll give it a try." Rus smacked his hammer in the snow, and snow got shot at Merlmur's face. "That worked well," said Rus.
"You guys are pretty tough," said Merlmur. Merlmur shot a beam of chemical waste at Mario and Rus. Rus reacted quickly, and sent the blast right back at him. "Ahhhh!" screamed Merlmur.
Merlmur HP: 0/70
Vs.
Mario HP: 53/75
Rus HP: 19/40
"Ack, you guys have somehow beat me," cried Merlmur, as he fell to the snowy floor.
"Nice!" shouted Mario.
"Let's get that gear," said Rus. Rus grabbed the gear.
"Yeah, now to get the sun piece!" shouted Mario.
"Let's hurry!"
Mario and Rus ran back through the lab to the lobby where they had first entered. "Well, here we's go," said Rus.
Rus placed the two gears in. He turned a knob, and the doors slowly began to open.
"Nice job!" shouted Mario.
The doors opened, and Mario and Rus ran in. Chemicals were spilling out everywhere, and it was very hot and reeked of smoke. Mario quickly jumped across a pile of toxic goo, and grabbed the sun piece. "I got it!" shouted Mario.
"Well let's get out now," said Rus. "I don’t know how long until this place blows."
Mario and Rus ran out of the lab and up to the hill top. They looked back at lab just in time to watch it explode into a cloud of smoke and fire. "Wow, we's just barely made it," said Rus.
"We're lucky," said Mario. Mario opened his hand at looks at the sun piece. "This is it," said Mario. "We have all the pieces we need."
"So what do we's do next?" asked Rus.
"I can't remember," said Mario. "But I know that whatever we do next will be what returns the planet back to the way it used to be. Let's get back to E. Gadd's lab so he can explain what to do now."
***
"So has anyone had any success in finding the sun pieces?" asked Bowser.
"I'm pretty sure no one has even been able to get out of their own homes," said Ludwig.
"The ice seems to have worked," said Bowser. "If no ones finds any pieces in three days, then I think it's safe to say we've won, and we can party then."
***
"They're coming," said a voice.
"What's coming?" asked the second voice.
"The sun pieces," replied the first voice. "They shall be arriving shortly."