Mario and Bowser: Frenemies Forever 2

Arcane Gang Symbol (Chapter 12)

Disclaimer: Mario and co belong to Nintendo

"Stardust, Black apple, bros flower, ice flower, cake mix, carrot, cobalt shard, coconut bomb, mango, dayzee syrup, dayzee tear.." Luigi stopped to catch his breath. He wasn't even halfway down and the paper just kept unfolding around his feet, around Mario's two left feet, over Captain Toad's head, out of the door..

"The list would be shorter if we had Dr. Mario's documentation of when he tackled this issue in Dark Land." Dr. Toad was simply a toad in a doctors coat, flat demeanor and dry monotone commanding some respect and implying an air of seniority compared to the others.

Right then the X-naut slipped off of the rounded edge tube as high as the ceiling and fell into hay sending it up in the air.

"Morris! Careful!" warned the hammer brother in a tie-dye colored coat, Dr. Topper. Dr. Goom, a shady goomba was off in the corner with eyes glued to a white board oblivious to any antics abound in a way that made it known he was always like that.

"What's that crazy contraption for anyway?" Luigi asked.

"To infuse the cure I think..." Mario pulled his brother side to a quiet corner. "About those old notes? Don't ask how I know but Bowser has it somewhere stashed with other treasured items. I bet his family still has it with them and if you could find it-"

The barn doors opened wide with Jr. Troopa standing in the middle. "Cavalry's here and ready 'cause of my training!" Outside were Peach's toads, a few of the southern nurses and staff volunteering, Dr. Toadley's intern representing him, and least expectantly to Mario's request post on the Toad Town message boards, former MK East staff member Dave the pilot.

The boom boom whipped off his sunglasses stylishly. "I really like to fly helicopters. Just let me know where to go and I'll do it. Ka-pow!"

Mario clasped his hands together with a bright smile. "Perfect!"

Luigi silently stood back letting his brother get the attention, yawning and biting back any hints of jealousy when in the corner of his eye he noticed a familiar yet foreign face from the farthest reaches of the group. Their eyes locked and the person bolted.

"Buddy! Wait!" Luigi kept chasing the boo out into the middle of empty farmland until he had to give up. He threw his hat to the ground in defeat. One his way back, he found something in the dirt. It was the green Bowser racket Mario used tossed aside, paint chipped and handle wrap frayed.

Later, "How did you get this?" Mario seized the racket and prepared to snap it over his knee.

"Bro, chill out!" Luigi lunged for it back and held it over his head so Mario couldn't reach.

"I just don't want old memories being brought up," Mario admitted. "Well, you came back just in time."

Dr. Goom continued the lecture that had dragged along painfully as he detailed every tidbit of the densely scribbled on white board, "The key components for reversing the gastronomic disease Mushroom Flu are the stardust powdering agent, the dayzee tears, cobalt shard crystal, and black apple juice along with mystery component X-"

"Which my brother will snag for us all," Mario cut in. Had Luigi not been so diffident in the moment, he'd slapped Mario. If it wasn't a hole being stared into him it was a weak frown implying 'how could the younger brother POSSIBLY do this?' or an eyebrow cocked quizzically. He hated it, but it was also like a dare. He had to get it right now. Make his brother proud.

A bus fetched the toads and brought them back to Peach's Castle to estimate the damage and check out the garden with dayzee tears. They'd send the item off if they chose to take residence again, except Toadette the self proclaimed leader or manager, it was in her job description she was sure to remind, doubted it. Stone riddled with cracks, the entire building was sunk down in several feet with water spurting from exposed pipes. The moat no longer lined up and required a small jump to cross which everyone happily did. In fact, Toadette got left in the dust with Alagold.

"Like, come on people! You really want to move in again in this shape?" she vented. Resoundingly the answer from most of the toads was 'yes', apparently ratty Hotel Mario was that much worse.

"Let's pick up that item while we're here," Alagold said, the twitching he did when his item detecting skills were working absent completely.

She made the hop inside and splashed in puddles filled with crunching items, likely the tiles that had fallen from the ceiling and the ornate vases shattered. "What again?"

"The one from the stars, brah. Send them Peach's jewel.."

Unsettled but remembering the fact that she was authorized to enter the princess's bedroom, Toadette made that way. The princess owned some gifts said to hold the powers of the stars she knew from Mushroom College studies and word of mouth, albeit always in a hushed fashion. Under Peach's bed inside a shoe box like Alagold hinted at was the most beautiful stone she'd ever seen. Irregular shaped, it was a light pink color that glowed in her hands, lighting the dark room. She felt like she stared for hours.

...

At Club 64, Kylie Koopa cracked her fingers and got to jotting her outline, seated in her favorite spot next the long fish tank that always got her in a serene productive mood. The tank was drained today though and consequently issues sprang up before she was done with her header. Her story was old news and now the local gossip was that Bowser jumped ship to Sky Land. It was moments like these when she really missed Mitch. Her ex always stayed on top of every happening everywhere. She had one lead get some info from his so called intern, a dry cleaning receipt due today folded up in back seat of the Aston Mushroom signed 'Jeremy N' at the bottom. Even an amateur sleuth could figure this out, Toad Town had one dry cleaners!

...

Luigi and Captain Toad hit the warp pipe zone for Sky Land. When they landed on the other side signs of Koopa Troop activity were about as subtle as a giant barking chain-chomp next to their ear. Under a smoke fill haze the mushroom homes were damaged lifeless husks and there were discarded spears, spiny eggs, and Bowser flags on fire. Luigi felt as crushed as the nearby half constructed fortress and proposed they split up in the ghost town. While not finding any treasure anywhere Captain Toad's attention was drawn to a whimpering noise in the charred remains of a toad house. He ventured inside to find a buzzy beetle flipped on is back squashed some heavy stones and tarmac.

"D-d-ark..." the small creature whispered, a dark streak running from his mouth. "...s-s-sta- ar..."

After a moment's hesitation, the Captain crouched down. "What?" he repeated but the baddie was silent. He tried a new approach. "Where are your goods?" Still no response and he saw their gaze glassing over, life slipping away. Disgruntled, he snatched a heavy pointed rock then slammed it down..

Luigi dropped to his knees, prostrating himself once they met up again a few minutes later. "We completely missed them! Tower's empty and the castle in the sky is gone. I just don't get it!"

"Don't get what, Mr. Luigi?"

"That Bowser could do this! What if we keep missing him and can't find his notes? What if our friends don't make it?! What if Daisy doesn't?" Tears rolled down his face.

Captain Toad approached him gently. "I get it. On my crew's last visit to the Jade Jungle caverns for that last archaeological haul, I meet the most wonderful woman. So adventurous, so spirited, lovely on the eyes, oh- and speaking of caverns.."

Luigi tilted his head up, eyebrows furrowing. "Where are you going with this?"

"Ah right-" Captain Toad switched back into focus. "I had a disagreement with Bank Toad about whether it was appropriate to snap her pictures. Think Mushroom Geographic stuff. It wasn't. That's how he fell off of that cliff..."

Luigi stood up, confounded. "Captain.."

The Captain shrugged. "If something is holding you back shake it off, Mr. Luigi. Just telling you as a friend.."

Luigi thought about it. "Nothing is holding me back. I think."

"Of course..."

...

Mario tread where dusty red road met black paved highway at the South to Toad Town boarder watching out for baddie activity. He hadn't met any enemy spies but it was always a fear eating at him. Toadette confirmed over phone that they successfully foraged the dayzee tears. The flaky seeming Dave proved him wrong by flying his helicopter all the way to the Beanbean Kingdom for the stardust and returning with the powdery substance coating him and his vehicle. Dr. Toadley called an old friend Prof E. Gadd inquiring of cobalt stars. Fifteen minutes later the professor had Parakarry send over a bag of shards he was freely giving up as surplus. That left the black apple. "Black apples only grow in the sky," he said into empty air. He was brought out of a daze when he saw a southerner at the gate meeting with a sizable truck.

"Howdy Mr. Hero." Probabilly shook Mario's hand. "This is that help I called."

"Yep. Dat sounds reasonable enough."

Mario snapped towards to the monty mole outside a truck he'd missed somehow. "What does?"

"The apples! We've health inspected the Overthere before, it's just matter of attaching our cloud-traction tires," the snifit Sebastian said, still seated in the MKDCU's truck. "Hey is my old classmate Emery really working for Bowser now?"

Mario was suddenly lifted off his feet and cradled by a tall wiggler with an iron like grip. "Whoa! What are you doing?"

Unmoved, Wiggletron sat Mario down again. "Patient's health is at acceptable levels.." he droned. "He could stomp two-hundred goombas in his state."

"Watch it!" Richard, a mega goomba inside the truck made a face.

"My apologizes," Wiggs muttered, flushing.

"If you guys wanna that's super. No, we're not paying you though, sorry," Mario had to add.

"Sounds like a deal. This one's on the house just for you," the last of them, Parabilly twin to Probabilly but with a clean shaved head said from the passenger seat of the truck. Soon the MKDCU truck sped off again, kicking up red dust in its wake.

Mario let a genuine smile creep up on him as for the first time all day. Maybe his friends and family really could accomplish great things without him and that bode well, not that Mario planned to retire anytime soon, but he never knew. Back inside the southern hospital Mario heard the banging on the doors from the sick coma walking patents locked in rooms. It was beyond disturbing and the toad guards that belonged the the Mushroom King had left them abruptly and could offer no help. To drown it out Mario tuned into a station reporting Bowser activity on a transistor radio. Buckenberry rushed inside, jumping up and down.

"A Toad Town spy contacted ME! Yeah, me when I told him I was your secretary! I hope you're not mad-"

"-What did he say?"

"Bowser's left Sky Land for Giant Land now."

Mario dragged the toad across the table and into his face. "My phone's still charging in the recovery facility across the field. Room 02. Call my brother. NOW!"

Jr. Troopa came up next with an ugly look. "I don't trust Drew," he said spontaneously.

"Who?"

"Dr. Toad. Never mind." The teenager softened and hung up his cowboy hat, then resembling the kid Mario remembered. "Guess what else."

Mario shot up at the sight of his friend, very rough and dusty looking. He excused it just as quickly. "Finally Yoshi! Girlfriend kept you in all day?" The plumber feared that was an ill timed joke by the way the dino nearly flinched.

"Remember Dr. Prof. Koopa?" Yoshi asked dryly.

"The guy that got away? Did you.. run into the creep?"

Yoshi nodded. "He was trying to escape the kingdom but… he's taken care of now."

...

A giant para-beetle was leisurely flying in the sky when she noticed a distinct pattern of flattened forest. It started from one direction then made a huge circle. The winged koopa returned to the village to warn the others, evading detection.

"I wish I'd went with Luddy." Wendy pouted for the one-hundredth time. "I could be getting a pedicure, sipping fine sparkling beverages, having a hot dinner.." Her heel got stuck in another viscous mud puddle, leaving her with a bare foot. "Daddy! I can't walk anymore with one shoe!"

Bowser yanked the old map he and his army were using away from Kamek with ferocious growl. "IT WAS UPSIDE DOWN THE ENTIRE TIME!" He spun around to the rest of his forces. His battalion had diminished so that he could actually see all of them at once and even the hairs of their heads, if they had any, standing up.

"I NEED A REPORT! A REPORT RIGHT NOW!"

Sentry 11, with his balaclava torn and with bruises underneath answered, "There are about five-hundred of us lost in this forest, boss."

"GAHH!" Bowser kept stomping the ground over and over. "Forget this kingdom's castle! We find the nearest civilization, take it over, and I marry the princess!"

"Bowser," Peach plead, advancing towards him as she could with the chain around her leg. "You have to stop! Entire kingdoms don't get uprooted two times in a row!"

"What is your point, princess?"

"YOU are the common denominator..." Bowser's soldiers in standing back remained silent at her statement. "What of that voice your heard in the sky? Perhaps the stars are punishing you!"

"HOLD IT!" Bowser bent to her level quickly. "Your fairy tales and wishes and whatever aren't true! There are no stupid stars doing stupid crap for us like you and your stupid toads like to stupid believe! Don't bring up the Star Rod either.. because.. that's different!"

"But-" she countered, one hand raised.

Bowser turned around. "Shut up Hotness. Now what?"

Lemmy and the other koopalings that had been sent ahead returned from around giant tree trunks. "King Dad! We found a village!"

"But it don't got no electricity," Roy added sourly.

"Noooooo!" Wendy wailed.

"We go. MARCH!" Bowser's army invaded the village where small cabins were the size of large homes to them and nicer homes the size of mansions. The Giant Land natives were larger than even his biggest hammer bros but in Bowser's favor there were few living in the rural neighborhood and whomever they encountered chose to run instead of fight. Effectively they partitioned an area with a dozen homes and structures as property of Bowser.

The Koopa King fixed his attention on what seemed to be a frequently used storehouse with a large spacious interior. "Somebody, move that tractor out of the way. No not you Larry, you're still triple grounded."

Somehow, Tanner got to be the lackey to climb in despite never touching such a thing before. Inside was like a rust covered but advanced alien spaceship so he pulled levers until engine roared to life and the tractor's humongous threaded wheels rolled backwards. "Oh, I'm doing something!… Sir? Wait I can't stop it!"

Bowser absentmindedly nodded while the koopatrol kept rolling backwards and away. Now with the storehouse empty, he had soldiers get to work creating provisions from scratch using the natural materials around. Any baddie with arms and even some without relayed planks of wood down a line of assembly, rocky wrenches handled bolts, thwomps, bob-ombs, and blasts from magikoopas knocked down trees and hammer bro hammers were repurposed to be… hammers..

"We cannot get married in there!" Peach poked her head inside to see the work. "I am.. allergic to barley, and hay, and bundles of seeds!.. And carpentry!"

The sweat on Bowser's forehead sizzled before he thought of something. "Hold on, Hotness, I thought Mario was a carpenter once? Whatever, bring Toadsworth up here."

Peach hadn't seen her old man since the failed escape and wondered why he swayed in his steps while Emery dragged him to the storehouse. She was sort of the elder toad's keeper now. Bowser asked him about Peach being allergic to anything.

"Of course not, *hic*" Toadsworth replied right away. "Is that a dance stage? I am the best at the waltz. Watch me!" The mushroom did a few steps and did tripped on his own toes, inebriated.

Peach covered her face, appalled in more ways than one while Bowser grinned toothily. The marriage was on again and Bowser just had to share the news with a special someone. Mario didn't pick up so he left a 'cute' little message for the plumber...

...

Taking up a VIP space, Kylie staked out the Toad Town Cleaners for a good while watching their steam machine press white dress shirts from the clear windows. Up and down. A blanket of steam poured out. While captivated by the inner workings of the mundane operation, someone pulled up in the spot a lane across, a blacked out later model sports car. An orange yoshi in a dark suit exited and paused before her Aston Mushroom flustered. He did a sort of hand sign involving one index finger on the right hand raised and an 'o' symbol on the left hand directed to someone in the tall hedges. Either he was reminding the bushes what the number ten looked like or it was an arcane gang symbol. Either way Kylie hopped out quickly.

"Sorry! Is this your spot-" Words ceased when Kylie noticed a prick in her shoulder, the tail end of a little dart. She felt dizzy and then blacked out...

Kylie felt the warmth of a bright light on her face. Cracking her eyes open nearly got her blinded, she shielded her face while noticing two figures near her.

"N, she's waking up."

"You don't say, Spy Guy," a matter of fact voice replied.

The green shy guy with camouflaging leaves on his head cut off the overhead lamp. Kylie was on her back atop pastel colored tiled floors with carnival music in the background.

"Is this a joke, brother?" she groaned.

"If stealing Agent 0064's car while he was missing was a joke, then yes," replied Agent N, the yoshi in the suit from before.

"You're the Toad Town spies and I'm in your hideout!" Location: Shy Guy's Toy Box as evidenced by the indoor train tracks and fun little locomotive inspired props hanging from strings. "Where were you when the Bowser spies got the jump on me last night?"

"Busy. Don't get it confused sister, we aren't part of some conspiracy, we just happen to be interested in Bowser at the moment," N replied rather sassily. "The only reason you're still alive right now is because you're on our approved ally list."

Kylie raised her hands in acquiesce. "I just wanted to find Mitch Toad and your noki detective was the last to see him!"

"Jelectro? Why did you have his car?"

"Technically he told me to dispose of it but why let it waste? Why was your receipt in his backseat?"

"Because it's OUR car," the yoshi replied to her befuddlement. "Stop making me document myself- or dox, whatever the kids say these days."

"Too late, Agent N.. or Jeremy Ninten." Kylie's hands sprung up again when Spy Guy aimed a poison dart gun her way. "No trouble, just the truth!"

"Well good for you. You've been unconscious for hours and in fact, here is your noki." Agent N stepped aside, letting her see Jelectro stepping up but as a jailbird in a surreal moment. Missing his glasses he wore an orange jumpsuit with a number on it and held her office's phone under his arm.

Jelectro dropped the landline with a clack. "I know what you want and I don't like it, mon ami!" He sneezed.

Agent N folded his arms unsympathetically. "First of all, what's that heap of junk?"

"Proof that the staff of MK East were part of Bowser's conspiracy, his minion's conspiracy rather. Now I cut my vacation short, et cette attitude amour?" Jelectro slung his arm around the yoshi. "They may or may not be currently fleeing to Sarasaland now."

"Duly noted," N muttered impersonally. "Now help her find whoever else you dragged into our business. That's final."

Jelectro's nose wrinkled while facing Kylie. Later, he sneezed again and his head felt stopped up while he clicked his seat belt on angrily. "I think I'm catching a cold," he grumbled to the koopa reporter he hurried along into the car belligerently. They sped along on the streets again. "...What? Save that face madam, I'm only doing this so that I don't have to sleep on the couch tonight."

"You catch and attitude with that cold?" Kylie's intentionally uncomfortable gaze bore into him, but he seemed immune. "What ever happened to Mitch?"

"He got hit by a bus." And that cut that conversation short.

Jelectro stopped the car before MK East, a mere shell of what it was just yesterday with only the first floor open, few patients, fewer staff with the newly crumbling infrastructure. Kylie intentionally left Jelectro behind to rush in. She saw the green spotted toad in the front waiting area like he was there just her her. He sat in a wheelchair with a blanket on his lap and lots of little greeting cards lying on top.

"Kylie, late to the 'scoop' as always, babe. The whole press found out and sent me stuff. Not Jessie though, wonder why.."

Kylie gave him a huge hug and didn't want to let go. "I'm going to PUNCH that noki."

"Why? Ouch! Watch my broken.. everything. Anyway it's not my 'intern's' fault. Zoo followed you to the stadium and I followed him, babe. I got him, but then he got me and then-"

"What!" She pulled back.

"But Zoo's dead now anyway," Mitch told her bluntly. "Something offed him last night. You know how I always say every living thing gives off, like, a signal? His is just.. gone-" He cut himself off knowing that Jelectro was walking through the automatic doors. "Oh so you show up now that Kylie drags you in. If you aren't man enough to do something just walk right back out."

Jelectro stopped three steps in. "No apology for sending me here right before those guards stormed in and put me in jail? Quel Salaud!" He cleared his throat. "Are you well?" he added so that it wouldn't seem like they were having a staring contest to Kylie.

Mitch with some difficulty showed no outward reaction to such insult. "Fine just fine."

Kylie got to the point after the tension rose enough to catch a sweat (and not naïve to the fact that both had some sort of psionic power, explaining a lot about her noki 'friend' yesterday. Men in general were just not as subtle as they thought..) "Mitch, Steve is on the mends too but he gave me some recent observations. Since you specialize in getting the scoop outside of Toad Town, what's your take on why Sarasaland got a replacement leader all a sudden?"

"Babe, I'd figure it out but A: still waiting on that insurance claim. B-"

Kylie put a hand on her hips. "What's the excuse now? You know what happened last time! I'm still banned from Chinese restaurants! When we have a project you always have me venture out while you stay at base."

"This excuse." Mitch calmly removed the covers and let them fall to the side. His legs were so tightly wrapped in bandages and gauze they hardly recognized the stumps.

...

While the sun set in Giant Land the excitement rose to dizzying levels at the union of Bowser and Peach became imminent. Two koopalings were scurrying around where ever the handheld WiFi-analyzer took them, even if it lead to a certain cabin of the very edge of Bowser's territory with a high barbwire fence. 'Richard Goomba Sr. MD' was on an old sign posted up and one of the lower windows had a blue glow coming from it.

"Is this it?" Wendy wore a yellow sundress on and kept playing with the strings on it from nervousness. She couldn't believe she was cutting so close to her own dad's wedding but she just had to catch up on some friend's social media walls and start some drama, especially since some of those friends were the same ones kicking them out of Dark Land hours ago. She prodded her brother in a black tie for an answer sooner.

"I'm picking up wireless internet waves, microwaves, gamma-waves, infrared waves, light waves, somebody doing the wave, all in there! Some party." Iggy checked the now opperational watch he held with wires hanging from it. "Also we have ten minutes."

"That's enough, great!" Wendy climbed through the gap in the fence. The weeds in the yard were at waist levels and the stairs creaked when they approached the front door. She knocked on the door while polka music blasted inside. It stopped.

"WHO'S KNOCKING ON MY DOOR?" a voice bellowed. The door swung open and a mega goomba with a dark face, bushy down turned eyebrows, bloodshot eyes, and a black goatee filled up the entire doorway. "GOSH DARN KOOPAS BETTER GET OFF MY PROPERTY!"

Screaming, Iggy and Wendy ran for their lives. The goomba grabbed his hunters cap and started chasing them all through the forest.

In the storehouse, Bowser had every one who could fit as an audience. Some baddies even hung out in the rafters to watch the union to take place. Bowser only wore a black cape and Peach wore her same dress but washed to be nice and clean again as she was forced to march down the isle. The floors were littered with fire flowers, the only local plant. Bowser Junior was best man, and Morton, Roy, and Lemmy were the other groomsman, all in a line on the little stage hastily created. They never planned for Ludwig to be missing but Lemmy held his brother's violin to sort of represent the military commander and Roy was videotaping the whole thing for his return. Larry and Toadsworth were seated in the audience with no input. Last, Kammy was the only bridesmaid because Wendy hadn't showed up yet. She stood with a tissue constantly patting her face.

"Does anyone have any objections?" Kamek asked.

"I say!" Toadsworth soberly stood up.

"You don't count."

"I do… have an objection," Peach spoke up.

"Nice try, but no," Bowser chuckled. He thought of something according to custom. "Ya know, I think I'm suppose to like formally ask your pops for your hand or something. Not that I care about what he thinks! But I wonder what he'd say.." Bowser hardly knew the Mushroom King since he was not ruling anymore the time he starting kidnapping her.

"He- It would be a no obviously," Peach fumbled to answer. She didn't think she could get more uncomfortable and trapped feeling.

Bowser shrugged. "Just asking. Not like we've ever met ya know? Maybe we'd get along!"

Peach begged inwardly for the conversation topic to change. The father hated the koopas. Her wish was granted as Kamek returned to his book, Koopa Kingly Law XXI.

"Place your hand please," Kamek said. Bowser placed his right hand on it and his left on Peach's so that she'd have no choice but to place hers too. "Do you take Princess Peach Toadstool as your wife?"

"Yes!" Bowser answered.

"And do you take King Bowser Koopa as your husband?"

Peach clinched her eyes shut. Stars, please save her she repeated inside.

"Daddy! Heeeeeelp!" Wendy screeched, running in with her brother and expelling attention from the stage.

Richard Sr. knocked the doors down. "IS THIS A KOOPA CONVENTION? I KNEW IT!" he screamed with a mouth rivaling Bowser's.

Bowser let go of the book. "Who are you?!"

"Richard Sr. MD. I tell ya I used to be a village leader and now I walk out of my door and your brats are trying to steal my internet and you koopas are driving out my neighbors and stealing my storehouse and moving my tractor and my barley and my hay and my seeds!?"

"… WHAT?"

"YOU HEARD ME! You promised to never invade Giant Land again!"

Kamek calmly recollected himself. "I have been with Lord Bowser forever and I remember no such pact."

Richard Sr. marched up to his face. "I remember you, nerd. Class of 195X. Now you're his butler?"

Kamek scoffed. "Me? I run the castle practically! Plus I wooed all the magikoopa chicks and my wand was the best!"

Everyone in the room except Kammy reeled in disgust. Peach took that opportunity to inch backwards then to the right, then to the left a little, then took a step off the platform. She couldn't get too far though before the groomsmen blocked her way, besides that, she was on film.

Bowser swallowed his own vomit. "YOU'RE ALL RUINING MY WEDDING!" He stomped the ground and a foot went through the platform creating sparks which hit a fire flower and ignited the platform and-

...

Wendy sat down on a dead log, amber hues flickering across her visage while the lingering flames from the storehouse danced several yards away. It was near midnight.

Lemmy stepped over slowly and sat beside his younger sister. Ludwig's violin sat in his lap. "I guess we'd better destroy that footage so Luddy doesn't see it and yell at how we can't do anything right without him. Ha ha..."

She turned to him seriously. "Is it really a coincidence this happened twice?"

"You mean the second windstorm in Sky Land?.." Lemmy plucked a few strings debating how to explain it. They were so busy bodied upon entering Giant Land that he'd almost forgotten he was now a two time disaster survivor and he was one of three people with a clue on what it was about. His tongue went dry as he felt her stare bore into him. His decision was made prematurely when Bowser Junior emerged from some tall grass rambunctiously with a mischievous grin.

"Junior. Go away for a second. We need to talk about grown up stuff."

The six year old pouted. "But but daddy said to tell you all he's putting the wedding off 'a good minute'. Wanna know something? I'm why we decorated with the fire flowers, hehehe! And that explosion was coool! Just as I was told it would be!"

Lemmy sighed and stood up, about to shoo him away when something struck him. "Wait. You. What? That's not funny. Unless..." The circus performer felt his stomach drop. They were now dealing with two defectors in the royal household.

...

Mario had a blank expression upon the fruit being placed in his lap. It was a basket of them. "Guys? I don't know what to say.."

"Doth not sayeth aught, we art just doing our job." Parabilly tipped his straw hat before blinking twice.

Sebastian gave a start. "We linger'd in the Overthere too long!" The rest of the MKDCU glanced at each other in confusion.

"Whatev'r. Alloweth's receiveth out of hither. MKDCU out!" Jimmy announced with a yawn.

Mario watched them leave then blindly rushed through mushroom farms in the middle of the night. He barged into the science barn to show the Special World doctors the items. Their work so far was hectic with equipment sprawled everywhere and papers scattered. He dumped it all on the only clear table as the doctors crowded around.

"Wonderful Mario. We'll work through the night doing what we can-"

"We will?" Prof X-Naut protested.

"Yes. We. Will!" Dr. Toad grumbled. "But we will need Dr. Mario's old notes detailing the last thing. Is your brother still working on that?"

Mario dropped the smile.

...

"Hello? Yeah, I'm okay. Just camping out in Giant Land with The Captain," Luigi answered when Mario called him. The brothers spoke for a minute. Mario noticed that he sounded a little worn but optimistic. "Yeah, Mario. Bowser better watch out tomorrow. No mercy. Right?.."

Mario laid back on his ranch bed down South, just like how the day started. Jr. Troopa allowed him to rent the room and he'd rather be among the countrified folk there than home where he'd be all alone. He should have felt better, but the message Bowser sent him that evening kept replaying in his mind.

"Mario. You cannot stop me this time. Just. Give. Up!"

To be continued...

Created: 7/1 – 7/3/19, 7/4, 7/7, 7/9, 7/19, 7/21, 7/26, 7/29, 7/31, 8/4, 8/21, 8/31, 9/1, 9/13, 9/15, 9/18, 9/23, 9/24, 9/27

12/4/20