Prolouge: A Fabulous Prize

Several months have passed since the events of Yosie and the Game Over invasion. It all started when Yosie, the young leader of Game Over, kidnapped Wendy, Karma, Peach, and Toad, and then spirited them away in his flagship, the G. O. S. Starstruck. Bowser, Mario, Luigi, and the Koopalings gave chase, but only Mario, Ludwig and Morton managed to find the base on the edge of the Mushroom Kingdom, hollowed out of a huge mountain called Mt. Majesty. The three were captured by Yosie, his second-in-command 666 the Fire Bro., and the four G. O. Commandos: Doopliss, Lord Crump, Bombette, and Susan B. Koopa. Nevertheless, all seven managed to escape, but Yosie took Karma and fled on the Starstruck, Ludwig and Mario close behind.

As the final battle ensued, Yosie tried to destroy Ludwig with the potent MegaCannon, but it was destroyed as Bowser finally intercepted the corrupt human's doomship. Calling in a powerful Ztar, Yosie increased his attacks and transformed into two powerful forms, but Mario managed to save Karma and all four managed to defeat him. Immediately afterward, Yosie and his officers disappeared as the downed Starstruck, its engine blown out by a bolt of lightning, sunk into the Mushroom Sea. The four fighters managed to meet with the other hostages at the coast, courtesy of Lemmy and his hijack of a small enemy ship.

Since then, nothing more has been heard of Yosie or the Game Over. All the strange events that did happen during that time have already been written into Fun Fictions by other tourists… except for a certain few stories.

First of all, Kamek's wand suddenly went disappearing one day without a trace. No one had seen it. However, it mysteriously turned up the next day, right where he left it. When an expert Koopa detective investigated the crime, he couldn't find any clues nor concoct how it went missing.

Second, Bowser wanted to try and exploit the base, but since he didn't know where it was, he couldn't. Wendy, Morton, Ludwig, or Karma wouldn't tell him. Karma had persuaded the others to do so because she had seen what the 15-year-old was capable of: he had copied and modified Wendy's wand, rerouted Bombshell Bills, and drastically weakened her Metbond with Ludwig. It was now so weak, they would feel a twinge of pain only if they were on opposite sides of the world.

She also thought Yosie had had it in for her in some way, besides wanting to kidnap her and make her part of his squad of third-in-commands, the G. O. Commandos. But what?

Little did she realize she'd have the answer for that a lot sooner then she thought…

OoOoO

There was a knock on the front door of Castle Koopa. Karma, who happened to be passing by, answered it.

Outside was a Lakitu. He wore sunglasses and a black shell, had a brown mess of hair on his head, and his cloud also had sunglasses.

"Are you Karma A. Koopa?" he asked, adjusting his shades.

"Yes."

He pulled Karma outside.

"Then you, my lady, are the winner of a fabulous trip to a surprise location!"

"What?"

"I said…"

"I know what you said. What fabulous trip? And who are you anyway?"

"The name's Scott Charles Tut the seventy-sixth. I'm from the Koopa Kingdom lottery, and you are today's lucky winner!"

"And my prize?"

"A hot-air balloon trip to an island in the south, with light breezes, wide beaches, and plenty of great natural attractions."

"Keelhaul Key?"

"No."

"Then where?"

"You'll see. Just come with me!"

And despite Karma's remarks and struggling, Scott led Karma out the front gates, where a white hot-air balloon and another Lakitu were waiting.

"Karma, allow me to introduce you to my assistant, Douglas Gaston."

"How are ya?" Douglas asked Karma.

"All right…" she replied, a little uneasy.

A small set of stairs led into the balloon's basket.

"Come, come," Scott said, taking Karma up the steps, "It looks like you need a break from this old place."

"But Ludwig'll be worried…"

"Tell you what; I'll leave these Koopas a note. You just wait here."

Scott reentered the castle commons. Karma was about to get out of the basket when Douglas floated right above the top step, blocking her way out.

"Hey! What gives?"

"What, you wanna run off on your prize?"

A few moments later, Scott reappeared.

"I pinned a note to the front door. Don't worry, they'll see it. And with that, we're off!"

Scott and Douglas got in the basket and began to start up the burner, and soon the balloon was off.

"Hey, even if I wanted to go, I didn't pack!" Karma complained.

"It don't matter," Douglas said, "Where you're going, you won't need baggage."

After Karma thought this over, she found a pro to this situation: at least she won't be near Bowser and the other Koopalings that ran for cover when she approached. Come on, even Morton would practically staple his mouth in her proximity. But the phrase, "where you're going," sounded strangely familiar.

Perhaps it's for the best, she thought.