Author's note! I know that no-one reads these things so I'll keep it short. All I wanted to say was that I don't own these characters; they're all the work of Nintendo. Also, this story if from the perspective of Ludwig, Bowser's eldest son (The German one, look him up). This story is set a few years before any of the games so the koopalings are a lot younger than in any of the games. Ludwig is 16 and Junior is 6; all the other koopalings are aged somewhere in between. This story is not consistent with any of the stories I've written before.

"Have you got any 2s?" Roy asked me.

I placed the two of spades on the table. I was playing cards with Wendy, Roy, Iggy, Lemmy, Morton and Larry. Morton was boasting extremely loudly about how he was going to win, Larry was trying to look at Lemmy's cards, who then promptly pushed him away. Iggy was clutching his cards so tightly his knuckles were turning white and his left eye was twitching madly; this was probably because he hadn't gone crazy running about and/or screaming something random yet. I swear, Iggy acts like he's constantly on a sugar rush. I sighed and wondered how I managed to make myself get persuaded into joining this disastrous card game.

"Have you got any 6s?" Wendy asked Larry.

Larry was too busy trying to look at Iggy's cards that he didn't hear her.

"LARRY!" Wendy cried. "STOP CHEATING AND LISTEN TO ME! Now, do you have any 6s?"

Wendy has the shortest temper of any koopa I've ever met.

Larry shook his head, startled.

It was my turn now. I looked at my cards, then looked up. I scanned my eyes over my brothers and sister. I devised a plan to get my two of spades back.

"Roy," I said. "Have you got any 2s?"

Roy frowned at me. "You can't do that!" he announced.

"Watch me," I replied holding out my hand.

Roy sighed and placed two cards into my hand.

"Whose go is it now?" Wendy asked.

"Morton's," I said. Oh great I thought.

"Woo hoo! My turn OK! Errm... Lemmy! Do you have any Jacks?" he asked. Morton is a massive boaster who celebrates anything.

Lemmy begrudgingly handed over a Jack of clubs.

"WOO HOO!" Morton yelled damaging everyone's ears except Iggy's who was used to loud noises.

"I TOLD you he had a Jack and I was RIGHT! I'm gonna win this thing, I AM!" Morton yelled.

"CALM DOWN!" I yelled back. "It's just one flipping card!"

The game continued in this manner for a while, it took ages because there were seven of us but eventually, Morton won.

"Oh great," I murmured. I had come second but I wasn't grumpy because I had lost, it was because when Morton wins something, he's REALLY annoying.

"Oh yeah! I told you so! I won, go me, I'm AMAZING!" he cheered.

"DAMN IT!" Wendy cried. "I was SO close!" She wasn't, she had come 4th.

"It was a stupid game anyway," Lemmy grumbled. "Everyone was cheating."

"Only Larry was cheating," I pointed out. Larry had ended up in 3rd because he kept looking at Iggy's cards.

Lemmy would be spoilt brat, he certainly acts like one wanting everything to go his way, but he's not spoilt. Which means that Lemmy is just a brat, great.

"Hey, where's Junior?" Roy asked.

"Don't know, don't care," I announced.

Junior is short for Bowser Jr, he's our youngest brother and I HATE him. The reason behind this is, once, ages ago, I was Father's favourite, his second in command, his heir. I should be shouldn't I? I'm the eldest, but one day, when Junior was born, all that changed. I knew something fishy was going on as soon as I heard that his name was Bowser Jr, named after Father. But Father soon made it clear that Junior was his favourite. For years I couldn't work out why that was until one evening 2 years ago.

FLASHBACK

We were eating dinner while Father was talking to Princess Peach in the other room. He came in looking very shell-shocked.

"What's up, Papa?" Junior asked.

"Did someone die or something?" Wendy asked.

Lemmy shook his head. "It can't be that," he said.

"Kids, I have something to tell you," Father said, sitting down.

He looked sad, that made me worried.

"You're probably wondering why I seem to favrotize Junior so much," he said putting an arm around Junior's shoulders.

"Well, I have a confession to make… you're not my real children."

My mouth dropped open.

"WHAT?" Wendy screamed.

Larry (the second youngest) burst into tears.

I was speechless. But the worst part was: Junior was Father's real son.

"I adopted you all, I'm really sorry. When I had Junior, my first proper son I guess I sort of favrotized him," Father said.

Junior stared down at the tablecloth, ashamed. He had known all along.

END OF FLASHBACK

Junior became Father's second in command. I remember one evening, another shocking truth was revealed to me.

FLASHBACK

Father and Junior were in Junior's room and they were talking about some pretty serious stuff. I had he ear to the door and was listening in on their conversation.

"Junior, when I die, you will become King of the Koopas after me," he said.

"But why me?" Junior asked. "I'm the youngest; shouldn't it be Ludwig, the eldest?"

Father hesitated. "Ludwig isn't my real son though, you are that's why you're my heir."

I drew back from the door, horrified. Father didn't count me as his real son! Suddenly, Father burst through the door. He gave a start when he saw me there.

"Ludwig! You didn't hear all that did you?" he asked worriedly.

I fixed him with an evil glare. "Every word," I said. "Bowser."

END OF FLASHBACK

A Koopa Troopa burst through the door.

"GUYS YOU HAVE TO COME OUTSIDE!" he yelled.

"Why?" Morton asked.

"It's Bowser Jr," Koopa said. "He's-"

"I DON'T CARE about JUNIOR!" I bellowed.

"What's up with him?" Roy asked Wendy.

"He's been having flashbacks again," she replied.

"You don't understand! He's being KIDNAPPED!" The Koopa yelled.

"Oh big deal!" I snapped back. "People are always getting kidnapped in The Mushroom Kingdom."

I looked around the room, only to realise that everyone had ran outside leaving me behind.

"Oh great," I announced to the empty room and ran off to find the others.

I found them in the garden, staring at Junior. Junior had been caught by three boos and was promptly being tied up. Another boo sat in a silver spaceship hovering above their heads. Wendy, Roy, Iggy, Lemmy, Morton and Larry looked and acted like rabbits caught in the headlights and I was starting to do it too. Father suddenly burst through us yelling "JUNIOR!"

Junior was thrown into the silver space ship. Father tried to attack one of the boos but the boo just threw him aside, literally.

"Papa, NO!" Junior yelled.

"We have to save Junior!" Wendy decided.

I groaned. "Do we have to?" I asked.

Everyone ignored me.

Iggy shot a ball of magic out of his magic staff. It hit the spaceship, bounced off it and headed back towards us.

"Oops," Iggy said.

"EVERYONE DUCK!" I yelled.

All seven of us leaped onto the ground landing in a lying position on our stomachs. The ball of magic hit the wall behind us with a mighty CRASH! Luckily, it was very high up so it didn't cause too much damage. A few bricks fell down on us, one brick hit Lemmy on the head.

"OWW!" he complained.

"Shut up, Lemmy!" about three others and I said in unison.

I got up and looked at the silver spaceship. It remained hovering for about three seconds before whizzing off at top speed with Junior and the four boos inside.

"JUNIOR!" Father wailed; he got to his feet. It started to rain. Raindrops fell on his face and rolled down his cheeks looking like tears. Father didn't cry of course but he looked very sad, he stared at the place in the sky where the spaceship was and said nothing. Larry started to cry and Lemmy looked close to tears as well. Roy scooped Larry up in his arms; Roy may be stupid but he knows how to comfort his little brothers. I didn't feel sad, I felt quite annoyed that everyone was so distraught about Junior getting kidnapped. People get kidnapped all the time in The Mushroom Kingdom; it's not really a big deal. Wendy walked over to Father's side and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Are you OK, Dad?" she asked him.

Father nodded not looking around. "Yes," he said. "For I have a plan."

He started to stride off towards the castle, the others followed him. I looked back at where Father used to be standing, then at the space where the spaceship was.

Suddenly, a flash of lightning lit up the garden and I squealed and ran inside.

Father was sitting down in the kitchen, but he stood up when he saw me.

"Ah, Ludwig there you are, son," he said.

I frowned and crossed my arms. Father only called me 'son' when he really wanted something from me.

"Now, let me tell you my plan," he said.

Wendy, Roy, Iggy, Lemmy, Morton and Larry, who had been listening from the other side of the door, suddenly walked in, trying to look casual but failing.

"As I was saying," Father continued. "As much as I would love to rescue Junior myself, I'm awfully busy-"

"Doing what?" Lemmy interrupted.

Father turned to face him. "Kidnapping Peach," he said.

"Of course it would be that," Morton muttered under his breath; I felt the same way.

"So I've decided that the 7 of you can do it! Ludwig, since you're the oldest, you're in charge," Father declared.

"But Father! I don't want to! I don't care about Junior, so why do I have to save him?" I whined.

Father glared at me. He still had raindrops dripping off his eyebrows but he didn't look sad anymore, he looked angry. He placed his hand under my chin, and then suddenly lifted me up about 4 feet in the air. I shrieked and clung to his arm so that I didn't fall. Father stared at me, an evil stared that bore right through to my soul.

"I'll tell you why," he murmured in a menacing almost-whisper. "Because not only does your Father demand that you do so, but your King commands you do so also."

I gulped. Ludwig von Koopa is not scared of many things, the only things I am scared of are lightning and Father when he's in a bad mood. That's why, when Mario defeats him and saves Peach; we koopalings are always well out of the way.

"OK," I whispered. "I'll save Junior."

"Good!" Father declared throwing me aside (literally). Roy caught me and placed me on my feet. Father strode out of the room calling: "I'm off to kidnap Peach, back in half an hour!"

So that concludes the first chapter. Wow it was long! Sorry it was kinda depressing, you know me, I can't write a story without putting at least one sad bit in it. Next chapter will be much funnier, I promise!