Bowser collapsed to the ground, bruised all over. The Star Rod flew out of his hands and into the waiting arms of Mario. “You did it, Mario!” shouted Spike.
Mario was breathing hard, as he stood there with the Star Rod in his hands; he had finally gotten it back from Bowser! Peach walked over to Mario and hugged him. “You’ve beaten Bowser!” she said to him.
All of a sudden, the platform that they were on started to rumble. “It's gonna blow!” yelled Spike.
A flash of light surrounded Mario, Peach, and Spike, and something lifted them up off the platform just before it exploded! A giant explosion engulfed the flying platform, and it fell from the sky. Peach and Mario felt their feet touch the ground, and they were surrounded by the Star Spirits.
“You have done well Mario,” congratulated Eldstar. “The Star Rod will be returned to Star Haven, where everyone needs it most.”
Mario and Peach returned home, and everything went back to normal… for Mario and Peach, that is.
*Three days later*
“I lost!” Bowser screamed.
He was in his bedroom, with no one around, and he was seething; Mario had won again, and he couldn’t take it any longer. “I’m going to beat Mario today!”
Bowser slammed his claw into a red button on the wall, and two minutes later, a blue-robed Magikoopa entered the room. “You buzzed King Bowser?” he asked.
“Kamek, I need you to get my top guard in here. I’m going to need him alone.”
“Yes sir,” answered Kamek with a bow. He left the room, and Bowser was alone again.
Five minutes later, a Hammer Brother entered the room. He was tall and lean, and his name was Aaron. He was dressed with a black helmet and a purple hammer. He had no hair that you could see, his head was covered by his heavy war helmet.
“Aaron, I need you to launch an immediate attack on the Mario Bros.”
“Now, King?” Aaron asked hesitantly.
“YES NOW!” yelled Bowser. “Didn’t I just say that?!”
“Yes Sire!” answered Aaron, as he gave a bow and hurried out the door. “Why is it always me who has to do everything?” he thought, trudging along the stone pathway out of that castle. “Just because I’m the top guard, ‘Do this Aaron, do that!’” Aaron mocked Bowser.
Aaron’s parents were in the dungeons, because Bowser felt they weren’t tough enough. His father was named Boe-Boe, and his mother was Violet; they had always loved him, but now he wasn’t even allowed to see them. The only time they were allowed to come out was for weddings, and those were far apart. The Hammer Bro was only sixteen, but outranked all of the other guards because of his practice in martial arts and weaponry. He would actually much rather be doing something like writing or drawing. But of course, Bowser wouldn’t have that.
Aaron exited the castle with a sigh of relief. Being in a dank, musty castle for who knows how long can get you down. Aaron ascended the long staircase to the Koopa Copter docks, and hopped in one of the 30 used by the guards of the castle. He leaned on the side of the copter as he pressed the lever forward. With a long sigh, he started his journey.
Aaron thought more about his life, his parents… and his sister. Only one year old, his sister Amy was the only one he could visit out of his family. She was allowed to see her mother and father, but only once a day for about five minutes. At the moment, she was being taken care of at the Koopa Center, the first stage of training Hammer Bros. and Girls to be like him.
“If anyone ever lays a claw on my sister, I’ll… do something very violent…” Aaron said aloud.
He was now flying over Water Land, his favorite; not at all because it was ruled by Wendy, but because it was so beautiful. In fact, he personally thought that Wendy didn’t deserve this land, and one of the more docile Koopalings should own it, like Lemmy or Ludwig. “Iggy or Bowser Jr. wouldn’t hurt either,” he said to himself.
After a while, he was finally hovering over Grass Land. Aaron landed at the secret docks set up for Koopas in the area, hopped out of his copter, and saluted a general that was barking out orders to other Koopas. He stepped inside the room that was home to all Koopas on secret missions, even if they weren’t Bowser’s men; it was basically a center for crime. There were only two people here at the moment: one was the secretary at the desk, and the other was a rather giant Dark Koopa with crazy hair— and he was asleep. The secretary was a Hammer Sis with long red hair and a small bracelet around her right arm. Since he was practically the only one there and the secretary was a Koopa that he had seen before, Aaron pretended to be in a hurry for no reason.
“I have permission from King Bowser to lead an attack on the Mario Bros,” he said, saluting. (He didn’t have to, but all the same…).
“Sure,” she answered simply. She picked up a phone and phoned the general. “Asking permission for an assault; ordered from King Bowser.”
“Confirmed,” came a booming voice over the speaker.
“And here you go, have a nice day!” she said, handing him a ticket.
Aaron hurried away, thinking, “I just think I might.”
* * * * *
Aaron leaned on a pillar of the building, looking at the general. He looked about 20, was taller than Aaron, and more muscular too.
“She sounded too happy talking to him,” Aaron said to himself. He knew that secretary girl’s name; it was Maria. “What a nice name…” he thought, “She doesn’t belong with someone like that.” Of course, Aaron was speculating a lot. He glanced at the general; suddenly, Aaron’s thoughts were broken by his hoarse voice.
“You! Get over here!” the general yelled.
Aaron hurried over into the crowd and showed the general his ticket.
“All right! You get to where you’re going now! And that means GO, you incompetent fool!” the general screamed.
Aaron was surprised. He felt fine obeying his king, but he just hated it when people yelled orders to him. “I am the top person in Bowser’s army!” said Aaron with a scoff, “And I will not be talked to that way!”
The general gasped, as did everyone in the army. Aaron couldn’t believe what he had said. He hurried off without another word to the general, and hoped he wouldn’t be kicked off. Even more so, he hoped that Maria hadn’t seen him. “That’s gonna cost me points with everyone I wanted to earn points with!” spluttered Aaron to himself. He was accustomed to sometimes having outbreaks despite his clammy personality…
* * * * *
Finally, he was right there: in front of the Mario Bros’ home. He positioned himself for attack and waited for the slightest movement at the door… After about 15 minutes, the door opened, and Mario and Luigi stepped out. Aaron immediately jumped out of his hiding place and pummeled Mario and Luigi with hammers.
“Mamamia!” yelled Mario as a hammer his hit in the face. Aaron went on with his attack, and swept Luigi’s feet out from under him. He was about to hit his head with a hammer just as Mario jumped on his back. He pulled the hammer back, and it hit Mario, knocking him out. He then brought the hammer down on Luigi, doing the same to him.
“I- I did it!” yelled Aaron. He looked at the plumbers he had just defeated, and saw that they were severely hurt. He then looked at his own two hands… If he turned the Marios in, he would be a murderer. Aaron tried several times to walk up and drag them away, but he couldn’t. He sighed; what could he do? If he turned them in, Bowser would be happy, but he knew he would be discontent for the rest of his miserable life.
Slowly, he devised a plan. “Maybe I could just go on with normal life if I told Bowser that I lost and that the Marios beat me again.” But then he would be lieing. He remembered all his parents had taught him while he was still young: don’t kill the innocent, and don’t lie unless it’s a matter of life and undeserved death. Well, this was for two people’s sake.
“I’ll tell Bowser that I lost,” he said aloud. He walked over to some berry bushes and plucked some red berries that he then smashed on his leg— it looked like blood! “Perfect,” he thought. He did it some more, all over his face and one leg, to make it look realistic. He then limped back to the Center, where he parked his copter. “Yikes!” he remarked, stopping. “I can’t let Maria see me like this! She’ll think I’m weak!” He hurried back and stuffed more berries inside his shell, washed off at a stream, and then went back to the Center. He tried to avoid eye contact with Maria and especially the general. He climbed in his copter and took off. His copter was sooooooo slow; if anyone was ever in a copter race, it would be more than easy to beat him.
When he got back, he prepared tp put on his performance for Bowser. He would say he lost, and act sad. But when he got to the door, someone was already there…
“That’s exactly what he did, sir,” said a voice. “He slandered me, and now he’s going to lie to you.” That voice. Aaron knew it was the voice of the general, and this time, he felt a giant anger welling up in him. “Be prepared, he should be coming soon,” the general finished.
And then the door opened! Aaron dashed behind a statue, and stayed as still as it was. The general (or, his real name, Anderson) walked down the hall with his back turned to Aaron. Aaron couldn’t control himself. He ran down the hall to meet Anderson. He ran up to him, panting.
“Oh, hello there mouthy,” growled Anderson, giving him a shove.
“I have one question for you,” said Aaron, his teeth gritted.
“Before you ask, I have to complement you on something: that berry display is very realistic.” Anderson’s cold claw ran up his leg as he scooped up the makeshift blood. He stuck his claw in his mouth and stated, “I like raspberry, don’t you?”
“Listen, you!” said Aaron, grabbing Anderson by the collar of the chainlink vest he had on and picking him up off the ground. “Do you have any connection with Maria?”
“What’s it to you if I do? I’ve known her since the fifth grade, and I’m pretty sure she likes me!”
Aaron dropped Anderson to the ground. “Get out of my life!” Aaron growled.
Anderson made a quick move with his foot and swiped Aaron’s feet out from under him. “Just because I’m not top rank guard like you, doesn’t mean I can’t still pull some unexpected moves.” Anderson smirked with hatred, then continued down the hall way.
As Aaron got up, he felt a hatred well up inside him for Anderson. “Someday Anderson, someday…” Aaron said. What now? He couldn’t go and tell Bowser he had lost, or he would know that he was lieing.
The black-clad Hammer Bro. walked down the stairs of the children’s nursery, and looked for his sister. “Brober!” she called, toddling up to him. Aaron knelt down and hugged her, trying to restrain tears; at least she cared, unlike everyone else.
After reading a few books to his sister, he went back up the stairs. Aaron had a hard time deciding what he was going to do. He paced the halls back and forth, pondering the object of interest. Once or twice, a guard walked by and said, “Man, you’re in BIG trouble when you talk to Bowser.”
Aaron made up his mind. He would make up a story, and say that Anderson was lieing. Bowser might believe him. Just as the Hammer Bro walked up to Bowser’s door, he saw a figure walking down the hall. It had two large objects draped over its shoulder, and it was quickly coming closer. “Anderson,” he muttered.
“I see you’ve not moved since I’ve last been here,” Anderson said, refusing to look at Aaron as he went by. That moment, it was revealed to Aaron what Anderson’s plan was: he could see the two large objects that he was holding on to were Mario and Luigi!
“Hey!” Aaron cried. He caught Anderson by the shoulder before he could walk into Bowser’s room.
“What?” asked Anderson in a sarcastic tone, “I just thought I would collect your bounty as long you weren’t going to do it.” Anderson put his hand on Aaron’s shoulder, and lay Luigi down. “Don’t worry, I’ll give you half the credit. I’ll even make a visit to the dungeons and tell your parents all about it.”
“How did you know I defeated them?” Aaron growled.
“I followed you after you insulted me. I saw how you fought, and I was the slightest bit impressed,” stated Anderson as Aaron whipped his hand off his shoulder.
“You’re not going in there, are you?” asked Aaron.
“Why no!” he answered, chuckling, “I’m just opening the door! I’ll never go in there.”
A mad dash for the door began, and Anderson won. He crashed through the door, and dove in. Aaron followed. He jumped onto Anderson’s shell, which he later regretted because of the spikes. They wrestled on the floor for a few minutes, and Anderson finally overpowered Aaron and got up.
Aaron got up too, and looked around; the room was completely empty. “Looks like you don’t get your bounty after all!” Aaron said, glancing behind him with a laugh. Anderson was seething. He unexpectedly punched Aaron in the back of the head, and the Hammer Bro. tumbled to the floor.
Anderson grit his teeth and looked at Aaron. Mission accomplished. Anderson walked down the hall again after picking up Mario and Luigi, and headed for the throne room.
*The next day*
Mario and Luigi were currently in the dungeons, waiting to be executed. Aaron went back to normal life for a while, writing letters to his mother and father, visiting his sister, and just being himself. Most of all, he was trying to avoid Bowser and Anderson.
One day he was walking down the dining hall when a Koopa entered the room. He took out a note and looked at it for a second. Then he stuffed it in his shell and said, “King Bowser requires an audience with Aaron Koopa. Please report to the throne room.” The Koopa looked at his note again, to see if he had read it right; then he left. Aaron sighed, and walked towards the throne room. Bowser was going to chew him out!
Aaron entered, looking at the ground. He knelt on one knee, and arose when told to.
“Aaron,” said Bowser, “I am horribly disappointed in you. You’re just like your mother and father.” Bowser coughed, and continued, “Until you are once again proven worthy to be my top guard, you will work at the secret station in Grass Land, as its janitor.”
Aaron couldn’t believe his ears on two points: one, he was being degraded to a janitor. Two, he was going to be working right alongside of Maria!
“I’ll try to be worthy of my post, Sire,” Aaron stammered out. He left the throne room with many thoughts.
The next day, Aaron started his work at the secret center. His routine started out in the bathrooms, and continued towards the front desk. Then he would go outside to pick up litter.
One day at that time shift, he was walking by a line of marching Koopa guards. “Get lost, janitor boy,” said one of them, purposely throwing a large piece of trash past the bag and behind him. Others sneered and did similar things, until Aaron couldn’t take it anymore. He kept his mouth tightly shut, and walked inside. They couldn’t bother him in there. It just turned out that that’s where they were all going.
Just as he was walking by Maria, a burley Sledge Brother walked by and stuffed something wet and sticky in his face. Aaron sat down with a thud on the tile, and tried to get the stuff off his face, but it wouldn’t move. “Ha ha ha!” laughed the Sledge Bro as he walked away.
Aaron knew he was right in front of Maria, he just couldn’t see her. He walked around, trying to find the men’s bathroom. He thought he felt an opening, but it was actually a chair that he slammed his gut into. He could hear the laughing of many people, and it was getting louder. Finally, a door! Aaron pushed it open, and went inside. It was cool and humid like a bathroom, and he felt the sink.
The water helped clean the stuff off his face, and finally, his eyes were free. The colossal orange wad of gum came of his face, and he took a deep breath.
“Oh – NO!” he squeaked. He looked at the sink: it was pink.
All the walls had flowery designs. And then, he heard a high-pitched scream! Not even looking back, he bolted out of the bathroom at full speed, only to trip over the same chair and land on his face! Enormous laughter erupted from the crowd, and he could obviously hear the laughter of Maria mixed in…
The next day, Aaron was feeling rather down. Anderson got after him for something every other second, and he was afraid to go back to work and face the scorn of everyone else. But he had to go, he knew that. So bravely, on October 2nd, 2009, Aaron walked out the castle doors. He climbed into the copter that was there for him, and took off.
“This is going to be my first good day in about two weeks!” he happily said to himself as he reached into a compartment where he kept a bag of chips. No one ever rode in his copter, so there was no danger of losing stored snacks… until that day. Anderson had purposely raided that copter, eaten the chips, and left a note which read: You are soooooo stupid! Never mind the bathroom incident, but all around otherwise too! I left you a little present: NOTHING! Hahahahah! And remember, Maria is mine! Signed: If you don’t know who, you’re even stupider than I thought!
“I have decided not to be bothered by you, Anderson,” said Aaron with a smile as he tossed the note right into his chopper blades. It bounced around, and then fell far down. “And besides, I still have my bag of wafers in the secret compartment!” He reached for the bottom of the flying machine and pulled out a box, colored the same as the bottom. He opened it, and found nothing. “When I get to work, I’m gonna slug him good!” said Aaron, throwing the box to the ground.
Aaron landed his Koopa Clown Copter, and strolled out to the office. Anderson was talking to Maria at the desk, something about dinner. Aaron was going to have a bit of fun with ol’ Andy. He picked up his mop and pale, and dunked the mop three extra times. Then, while walking by, he stuck out his mop, and all the long strands of wet and soapy fur engulfed Anderson’s face and eyes, stopping him mid-sentence. “Oh, I’m sorry, did I hit you?” asked Aaron, showing fake concern.
“You’d better believe it!” said Anderson with his fists clenched.
“Let’s just say that was for the mystery of the snack snatcher,” said Aaron with a smirk.
Anderson was thinking about aiming a punch at Aaron’s head, but his action was interrupted by a Koopa walking into the center and saying, “They need you out there now, General! Big fight!” Anderson spat on the ground in front of Aaron’s mop, and followed the Koopa out the door.
Right after he was out of hearing range, Maria burst out laughing and said, “That has got to be the best prank ever! Nice one!” she laughed.
Aaron was flattered. “Best prank ever,” he mumbled to himself with pride.
“So,” started Maria, “what have you been doing ever since the bathroom mix-up last night?”
“Well, um…” said Aaron, blushing, “I guess I’ve been avoiding gum and bathrooms ever since then. And for me, that’s hard to do.”
Maria chuckled. “You’re a lot funnier than Anderson; because he only thinks he’s funny.”
“Score!” thought Aaron. “Good start!”
Anderson walked into the room and looked at what was happening. He walked up behind Aaron. Or, that’s what it looked like. In reality, Anderson was pinching the back of Aaron’s neck with his claws and whispering, “Get out of this place!”
“Um, gotta go!” stated Aaron, as he went to clean the bathroom; the men’s bathroom.
Aaron skipped though work that day; he felt uppity and revved. He finished early and went home whistling despite the large lump of mud in the bottom of his copter, left from guess who.
Feeling the best he had felt in about a year, he went down to visit his sister. As usual, she was waiting for him with her favorite book. “Book,” she stated.
“Guess what happened today?” Aaron said, picking Amy up. Despite Amy not answering, he went on, “Maria and I talked today, and nasty-wasty Anderson couldn’t bother me at all!”
A familiar voice chuckled from across the room. “Quite an opinion you have there!”
Aaron looked franticly around, and spied Maria with a young Goomba on her lap. “Oh, hi,” he said, looking embarrassed. “I didn’t know you worked in the nursery too.”
“Don’t,” Maria smiled. “I’m just visiting my little bro.”
Aaron looked at the Goomba, and then up at Maria. “How’d that happen?” he asked.
“Adoptive,” she explained. “I was the last out of three girls, and then came this one.” She hugged the Goomba close.
“Wow. Well, I’ve gotta go and give King Bowser a report of my work. See ya!”
Aaron hopped to what he said he was going to do, and marched down the hall with dignity. No Anderson on the way; in fact, no anyone. “No one to insult me!” said Aaron.
He walked up cold, dark steps to the throne room. A large crowd of people had their backs to the door, and it was hard for Aaron to get in. “Wonder what’s going on?” he thought.
At the head of the group was Kamek, trying to calm everyone down. “Now, now!” he said, waving his hands for everyone to calm down, “I have an announcement to make.” Kamek cleared his throat and began. “Our dear King Bowser is ill. I will be taking charge for the time being, but if he gets any more sick, someone else will have to take charge while I tend to him.”
A large murmur ran throughout the crowd.
“Now please go back to your doings. Anything that you would like to tell the king will have to be told to me. Thank you.”
The crowd split, and Koopas and Goombas went in all directions. Aaron was jostled around a bit, and then he went back down the stairs. “I wonder what Bowser could be sick with?” thought Aaron as he went to his room. It wasn’t at all a nice room; mostly flour sacks and one toilet. But that’s more than he could say for most of the other Hammer Bros: they had to share a room with probably over three people. Aaron only got his own room because he was the top rank guard.
He plopped down on a flour sack and prepared for sleep. He wondered about his parents down there in the dungeons, and when they would get out. Would they ever toughen up? All thoughts were closed down for that day, as Aaron removed his helmet and put his hammer to rest beside him.
* * * * *
Aaron woke himself. It was another dreary day, and Aaron had to get ready for work: janitor work. He looked at the clock; it was 9 o’ clock. In other words, Aaron had to be at work in one second!
The Hammer Bro leapt out of bed and into some boots, muttering, “I am going to get killed by King Bowser!” But then he remembered that King Bowser was sick. “I am going to get killed by Kamek,” he corrected himself. Aaron took off without any breakfast (which had ended about an hour ago) and climbed into his Koopa Copter, speeding all the way. “Well, at least there’s no present from Anderson.”
Once Aaron reached the center, he stepped in. Anderson was in the middle of the room, bragging about something to Maria. “So, there I was, surrounded by those darn Mario Bros. I gave them what’s for with a few shell knocks, and before I knew it, they were out cold!”
“Nice one,” said Maria with a sigh. She was slumped in her chair with her head resting in one arm.
By the time Aaron had finished his work, Anderson was still talking. “And so, that’s how I’m going to become king!”
Aaron walked over to Anderson with a worried look on his face. “How are you going to become king?” he asked suspiciously.
“Once King Bowser gets sick enough, he’ll appoint his top general to be king ‘til he’s better… And that would be me!” Anderson looked down on Aaron as if he was a little kid.
“Nice,” stated Aaron, “but it hasn’t happened yet!”
“It will, my friend!” Anderson called, as he continued trying to impress Maria.
*Two nights later*
Aaron was drawing a picture; it was probably his best yet! He had been working for ages on it, and now it was finally done.
“All hands to the throne room!” screamed a Koopa running outside in the halls. “There is a crowning to be awaited!”
Aaron froze. A crowning? He all of a sudden remembered what Anderson was talking about, and was filled with fear. What if Anderson became king, and then terminated him like a bug?!
Aaron hurried out the door and into the throne room. Kamek was standing in front of a large crowd. “My dear Koopas,” he said, eyeing a few in particular, “I have news to report. King Bowser has a form of a very serious virus. Until he recovers, we will need a new king.”
The crowd gasped, and murmuring arose throughout it.
“King Bowser has requested that one of his top generals take the throne for a few days. His name is…”
Kamek looked at a piece of paper, and Aaron was sweating like crazy.
“Anderson Koopa.”
The black-clad Hammer Bro. fell back in a dead faint. His hands were cold and clammy, and he was shaking all over. Anderson stepped up onto a platform and placed the crown upon his head…
ANDERSON WAS KING!
*Two hours later*
Aaron felt something wet being dabbed on his forehead, and he slowly came to. A nurse and a doctor were staring into his face. He held his head as he sat up and said, “What happened?”
“You fell into a faint as soon as King Anderson was crowned!” said the doctor.
Aaron fell back onto his back… It wasn’t a dream. It was a nightmare come true! Anderson would kill him now.
“You have to help me!” said Aaron, grabbing the doctor’s white coat and shaking him. “Anderson is gonna kill me!” Aaron burst into tears. He didn’t care if he wailed like a child. He wanted to, and that was that.
“Now there!” the doctor said, a little surprised, “Anderson won’t kill anyone.”
Aaron looked out the window. Blackness had fallen over Dark Land, and it was probably ten by now. “I’ve been keeping you,” said Aaron, drying his tears and getting off the hospital bed. “You’d better go home and get some sleep.”
“Are you sure you’ll be all right?” asked the nurse, as Aaron stumbled around.
“I’ll be fine,” he answered, catching his balance on the doorpost.
Aaron couldn’t sleep that night. He rolled around in bed, tossing and turning at every thought of Anderson. Finally, to end or to spark his worries, he stepped to the throne room, where Anderson and the officials were talking. “I want those Marios out of this world first,” said Anderson, a new tone in his voice.
How in the world did he know Anderson was going to do that… Aaron saved the Mario Bros’ life once… and it seemed it was almost a duty to do it again.
Aaron felt more anger well up inside him. “That’s the last straw,” he seethed, going to the dungeons. He was going to get Mario and Luigi out of there somehow.
He sneaked down the dungeon stairs and avoided each guard with ease. “Aaron!” called a voice. Aaron spun around to see a guard saluting. “To the elite army member!” he said.
“This guy is really behind in the news factor,” the Hammer Bro thought. Anyway, he could use this.
Aaron passed the guard and came to the last cell. Mario and Luigi lay slumped inside it, and they looked unusually thin. “Gotta get ‘em out of there,” he said in a whisper. Aaron watched for a while, and then heard a stifled scream. He looked towards Mario and Luigi’s cell, where it had come from, and saw Luigi edging away from a large spider. "Now how in the world would I get them out of there…?"
Something snapped into Aaron’s mind. He could use his hammer, if he was careful not to hit too loud. With a few rather quiet knocks, the lock fell to the floor. Mario and Luigi looked up from what they were doing, and eyed Aaron in disbelief. “Go!” he whispered, “They’re going to do really horrible things to you!”
Mario walked out of the cell, thinking he would wake up any minute, but remained on his guard. Luigi edged out of the cell and thanked Aaron. Then they sat there. “Go!” commanded Aaron.
“We can’t-a get out unless you-a help us past the guards,” said Mario.
Aaron felt stupid. “All right, I’m gonna pretend I’m a guard that’s taking you to another place. You follow me, and soon, I’ll get back at Anderson, and you’ll be free.”
“Okey-dokey,” whispered Luigi.
Aaron grabbed them by their arms and pulled them behind their backs. He pushed them forward, and they walked up the stairs. Each cold, dark step filled Aaron with the terror of being caught. His whole life would be ruined if he was, and that was the last thing he wanted. He broke off into the front room and pushed open a smaller door that was used for convenience.
It was pouring rain outside, and it was pitch black as a storm was going on. He led Mario and Luigi up in front of the doors, and stopped. A flash of lightning overtook the sky, and with its light he could see silhouettes of two guards on their night post. Aaron waited for a minute, and as soon as the loud clap of thunder sounded, he dashed though, hoping not to be heard. The guards had no idea he was there, and he broke off into the left side of the castle, by its walls.
“Okay you guys, go!” Aaron said over the rain, and Mario and Luigi stared back at him in a way that said ‘thank you’.
The Hammer Brother walked back to the front door, and was allowed in by recognition. He shook his helmet off at the mat, and scraped off his shoes before walking onto the stone floor. Then he heard footsteps. Aaron was about to run and get in a closet while the pedestrians passed, but he thought to himself, “I can’t run away from everything!”
A Koopatrol and two guards passed. But this Koopatrol looked different: he wore a crown on his head instead of a helmet. It was indeed, Anderson. One of the guards was veiled in black and held an ax in his hands. Aaron stood mouth open as they descended the dungeon steps. “My life is at an end…” he whispered aloud. The only thing he could do was stand there.
All of a sudden an angry scream of rage sounded throughout the castle from the dungeons. Anderson had now found out, as you probably guessed. "What do you mean, you didn't do anything?!" screamed Anderson, shaking the smaller of the two guards.
"No jail break was possible, and I swear I didn't do it!" the poor creature squeaked as his head lashed back another time.
"Then - who - DID?! " Anderson screamed again. Then he stopped and thought. Walking over to the other guard, Anderson got in his face and said, "List me all the people in the order you saw them come in here."
"Yes sir," the red-shelled Koopa began. "First there were a few Goombas that came in here, but they were supervised. Then a Chain Chomp come rolling down the stairs, and Prince Roy came chasing after it. Then there was an elite guard, and then three people that looked weird. It was like, a veiled one, a sort o' normal one, then this guy with a crown on his head!"
"That was me, dunce," said Anderson. "Who went out?"
"Everyone that came in, everyone other than Roy. He's still chasing that darn Chomp. Also, I saw the elite guard take Mario and Luigi upstairs to the execution room. He said so, anyway."
"Hmmmmm…" pondered Anderson. "Now I have the information I need!" The temporary king roared out, and then he started to run up the flight of stairs, the two guards panting to keep up.
Aaron bolted down the hall to get as far away as he could from the angry king. Eventually he came to a door, and hurried inside it. It was the large Koopa kitchen, where the meals for Bowser and his family were cooked. Aaron leapt inside a cupboard labeled SPICE. Seconds later the door burst open, and Aaron could hear heavy boots shake the floor from where he was. “Have you seen the Mario Brothers?” asked an enraged ruler.
Another figure was coming towards him, and said, “No, vee have not zeen zem anyvwear.” It was Chef Torte, Bowser’s leading chef.
Aaron shifted around in the cupboard. It was very uncomfortable laying on top of a large Lazy Susan. The footsteps walked away, but the door of the cupboard opened! A Koopa’s hand groped around for something, eventually grabbing Aaron’s nose. “AHHHHH!!!” Chief Torte screamed, reeling back when he saw the face. Anderson and his guards entered the room again, and then it happened…
Anderson and Aaron locked eyes.
A slow smile covered Anderson’s face as Aaron climbed out of the cupboard. “So we meet again,” said Anderson, grinning widely. “Do you happen to know anything about the Marios’ escape?”
Aaron looked at the floor. Thirty seconds of silence passed, and Aaron knew he couldn’t tell a lie.
“Yes,” he said. “I released them.”
The smile went off of Anderson’s face, and he stared, eyes narrowed. The two guards charged for him, and Aaron fell to the floor and winced.
“Stop!” Anderson’s voice called.
The veiled Koopatrol stopped his ax a second before it beheaded Aaron.
“I want to handle this alone.” Anderson motioned for all three to come forward, and they did. Anderson stopped in the hall where he and Aaron had their first full conversation and fight.
Anderson slipped off his outer robe, and handed his crown to a guard. He then drew a long, golden sword that looked like it had never been used before. The veiled guard knew what was going to happen, and he handed Aaron a sword as well . Anderson smirked. “Good luck,” he said, pointing his sword at Aaron.
Aaron looked at the sword in his hand, and then at Anderson. This was his chance to get rid of Anderson for good! But the thought still stuck in his mind, “What happens if you kill the king?”
“I’m pretty good… You take the first strike,” teased Anderson.
Aaron ran forward and clashed his sword together with Anderson’s.
“This is it, hammer geek,” growled Anderson as they passed again. If he hadn’t have said those words, Aaron would have died for sure; but he was smart, and ducked before the sword flew over his head.
Anderson again brought his sword down, and Aaron put his up to meet it. CLANK! Aaron’s sword was driven back so far that it almost finished him. Anderson fought like he had been trained, and Aaron almost didn’t stand a chance (even though he was elite guard).
“Done!” Anderson yelled when he disarmed Aaron. His sword flew across the room, and Anderson’s came flying down on him! Aaron drew his hammer from his belt and blocked the oncoming blow with no time to lose. He then ran across the room and retrieved his sword.
“You are despicable,” said Anderson to Aaron, obviously not worried that he was fighting an elite guard.
Aaron struck Anderson’s fist with his sword and cut into it badly. “Ahh!” screamed Anderson as he stepped back. Quickly he tried to recover himself, but Aaron swiped his feet out from under him and then pinned him to the ground. Onlookers (there were a lot of them now) all gasped and held their hands over their mouths. Aaron choked up on his sword just above the blade, and tried to push it down into his rival’s stomach. Suddenly, images of Mario and Luigi passed through his head like lightning, and his whole world seemed to be swirling around at what he was doing. Just as he felt the sword start to give way and go through Anderson’s shell, he pulled it back, leaving Anderson with his eyes squeezed shut. Aaron sat on Anderson for a few seconds, breathing hard and restraining tears. The light-shelled Koopa opened his eyes and looked at Aaron for a long time.
“Right over there!” yelled a shrill voice. Aaron saw a small Koopa child leading Kamek by the hand. “There!” he yelled again.
Kamek gasped, and so did everyone else. “What is this?” Kamek stated indignantly.
Aaron hung his head again. He was in GIANT trouble.
“Before I say anything else, I must inform all of you that the king of the Koopas has made a miraculous recovery, and is ready to take the throne again!” stated Kamek.
A small wave of clapping went throughout the crowd.
“Go back to your rooms now, go on, go on!” coaxed Kamek as the crowd of 50 started to break up. He then turned to the young Koopas of 16 and 19. “And as for you…” he said in a deeper tone…
*In throne room*
“I am sorely disappointed in you two,” sighed Kamek. “What was that?! A top guard and general having a big fight? Any one of you could have been hurt, not to mention all the bystanders!”
“But I was king,” said Anderson, a bit angry as well as confused.
“All the more reason why you can’t do that!” yelled Kamek, slamming his fist down on a nearby table. “Now. Tell me what started this fool’s free for all?”
“He-" Aaron began, but he was cut off by Anderson.
“I was mad at him. He was making my life miserable. He was getting in on personal details, even the little things! But it really set me off when he…” Anderson stopped; he couldn’t choke out the words. Aaron looked at him in a surprised way, and Anderson quickly recovered. “It really set me off when he… stole something that my mother gave to me!”
“Theft, eh?” stated Kamek, pacing endlessly. “Nice story; believable too. But you slipped up. Touching your nose, zooming your vision in and out… even a crazed fool could tell you were lieing!” Aaron grit his teeth: the truth had slipped, and he was done for.
“But I don’t want that story. How did you get into the fight?” Kamek asked.
“Pent up anger,” said Anderson. “That was basically it. But it won’t happen again; we both promise… Cross our hearts!”
“Since you are young and know little, I’ll let you two go. But you’d better be right about it not happening again; watch it. King Bowser isn’t at all afraid to torture. Now be on your way, and don’t bother me anymore.”
“Yes sir!” said Anderson, clapping one metal boot together with the other on the floor. He then exited the room, and Aaron followed.
“Thanks,” said Aaron. “But why didn’t you kill me? You easily could have had me in the dungeons for years, with no food and water too!”
“Let’s just say-" Anderson was cut off by Maria’s voice.
“Hey guys,” she said.
Aaron hadn’t seen her there, and he jumped back a few steps, tripping and knocking his head on the floor.
“I saw the fight you two had… It was pretty intense.”
“It wasn’t meant to be,” said Anderson. “It was just sort of a practice thing-a-ma-bob.”
“It sure didn’t look like it. Around the end, it looked like Aaron was gonna kill you!”
“Uh-huh,” breathed Anderson. After a few seconds of silence he said, “We’ve all gotta settle down for the night, though. It’s late.”
“Sure. See ya,” she said, walking down the hall and disappearing into the darkness.
The Koopatrol fiddled with the notch in his shell, poking his finger in and out of it. “Bye,” said Aaron.
Anderson didn’t answer, and he took that as his cue to leave.
Aaron lay down
on his bed and tried not to think about what happened. He didn’t
get any sleep that night, but at least he had something that he could remember
for the rest of his life.
Epilogue:
*One year later*
“Mom, I’m done!” a 17-year-old Aaron laughed.
Violet dusted off Aaron’s suit coat another time. “Not until all the dust is off of this coat,” she said. “If you’re going to a wedding, you can’t look like a slob!” After his mother was done fooling with his hair, she said, “All right, let’s get going. Grab your sister.”
His mother and father walked down the hall, towards a giant hall where the wedding was to be held. Aaron picked up his little sister Amy and quickly followed. His footsteps came down on the red carpet lightly, making a quiet thud as he ran. They took their seats in a row towards the front, and waited.
“Is not!” they could hear a voice whisper.
“Is to!” said another one a bit louder. Ludwig and Roy were fighting in the back, but stopped as soon as they heard the door open. Out came husband and wife to be: Anderson and Maria.
Anderson ran his hand over Amy’s blond hair as he passed, and she giggled.
Aaron lay back in the pew and closed his eyes. Breathing a long sigh, he thought about the wonderful future he would have. At least he could stay friends with Anderson!
THE END
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