Chapter 3: Useful Idiots
Scattered consciousness emerged from the pure light. Kidnapped, not for the first time. Not for the last. A horrible creature lurked in the bleakest eastern hills. It awaited her.
A woman in a tattered pink gown stirred. Plush blankets pressed against her back. She forced herself from the bed and tumbled to the floor face first. She dug her nails into the carpet and shoved herself to her feet. Her knees buckled and clicked.
Rain pattered an erratic beat. She wandered the room and dragged her nails across the wall. The manicured tips chipped.
"This is real. I'm real." Her voice lilted. Her tongue weighed her chin down.
A koopaling lay face down on the floor. His tail twitched. The colors in his skin shifted: first green, next abyssal white, then green again.
The woman knew the creature, a memory of a memory echoed his name. He brought her to this room. "Lar-ry." She jabbed the creature with her foot.
"Who you callin-" He looked up. His irises flickered. "You can call me whatever you want."
The woman's cracked a smile. The corners of her lips pulled too tight. It hurt.
The koopaling twitched. He scanned the room. "Stars, I should've picked a better room to pass out in. Too much pink."
She crouched and leaned close enough to feel his breath on her skin. "Larry is your name, isn't it?"
"No offense lady, but you've mistaken me for someone else." He scooted away, but she crawled towards him. Her wrists clicked.
"Tell me, what is your purpose here."
The koopaling licked his teeth. His fingers vibrated. "Picked up some broad, dragged her here, we're taking her to...to dad." His jaw dropped. His pupils dilated.
"Of course. You remember now." The woman laughed. It rang hollow. Fake. "And your name's Larry."
"Get it through your skull, my name isn't-"
The woman's mouth set in a hard line. Her eyes blazed with rage. The koopaling recoiled.
"Alright, you got me." The koopaling eked a hesitant laugh. "That name's stupid though. Larry's stupid. Call me, eh, Cheatsy."
"Wow, come up with that just now?" The woman's smile returned. She spared him a few inches of space and sat on the floor.
"Better than Larry." Cheatsy rubbed his fingertips together. "What do I call you? I remember the name 'Peach.'"
She put a finger to her chin and jutted her head to the side an inch too far. "Hum. If we're picking names I think I like..." her eyelid twitched. "...her Majesty, Queen Amanita."
" Queen Amanita." Cheatsy savored the name. "It's got a nice ring to it."
"Doesn't it just?"
The broken queen approached the porthole and pushed her face against the glass. Thunder clapped in the storm. The flash illuminated a nearby ship.
"Oh. We've neighbors." Her eyes gleamed. An image flashed in her mind's eye. A koopaling like Cheatsy, but different. His hair clean and managed. A blue star tattooed on the back of his head.
Beside him, a pathetic princess. Stolen from her kingdom. A kingdom that no longer trusted her. A kingdom that no longer respected her. "She's there."
"Lady..." Cheatsy bit his tongue, "your majesty, I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about."
"I say we go for a walk," she approached the door, "I'd love to meet the crew of this fine vessel."
Cheatsy's lips sputtered. A wheezy giggle parted his lips. "It's just my idiot brothers. They won't be much help."
"I'll be the judge of that." Amanita threw open the door and fumbled into the hall. Her posture straightened as she walked. Her leg's carried her body with an growing air of confidence.
Idiots or not, they just needed to be useful.
X-X-X
Larry squeezed his knees to his chest. Dull pains prodded his temples. A warm sensation trickled down his nose. He dragged his forearm over his upper lip. A crimson streak stained his skin. "Great, just great." Larry covered his nostril and heaved himself to his feet.
Darkness surrounded him. He waved his free hand in a broad arc. His fingers brushed against the wallpaper. He guided himself with the wall and came to a light switch. He flicked it up. Nothing. Larry flicked the switch down again. "Power's out."
He fumbled around the room until his low-light vision adjusted.
Peach lay on the bed. Her arm draped on her forehead. She whined in her semi-conscious state.
Larry bent over her. "Peach?"
Her eye cracked open. She flinched in his presence and covered her mouth. "You're bleeding!"
"Just a nosebleed." Larry tottered away from Peach. He wrenched open a linen closet. Rose tinted towels lay before him in neat folded stacks. He plucked a towel from the top of the pile and pressed it on his nostril.
The queen swung her legs over the side of the bed and propped herself on the nightstand.
Larry reached out to steady her.
She shoved him away.
"Hey, I'm just trying to help," Larry said.
"You wrecked my home, ruined my kid's birthday, paralyzed my husband, shuttled me into a thunderstorm, and now my head feels ready to explode. You've helped enough."
Larry was taken aback. He scratched the back of his head and winced. "Come on Peach, I'm just following orders."
Peach forced herself to her feet and lurched beyond Larry.
"Slow down there, you're still a prisoner."
Peach bent at her knees and laid her head against a wall. She choked a dry cough into her arms. "You saw that flash. Something's wrong."
The koopaling sniffled, the towel tickled his nose. He cracked open the door and peeked. Crimson emergency lights illuminated sparse sections of the hallway. The contours of a mole or two strolled in the distant dark.
"You may be right," Larry shut the door, "but that doesn't mean you can just waltz out of here."
Peach pushed off the wall and grabbed for the handle.
Larry blocked her and pressed his back against the door. "Peach, you need to stay here."
"Sorry in advance."
"Excuse me?"
She kneed him between the legs. Larry keeled over, his eyes bulged. She threw open the door and hurried into the dark. She kicked off her heels for better mobility and sprinted.
Larry gasped for breath. His guts churned. He tripped through the door and bumped his head on the metal wall. "Peach, get...get back here."
He jogged into the dark. Peach's figure dashed ahead. Her pale skin luminous in the low light. She tripped on her gown and dropped to her knees. She hustled to her feet and stumbled around a corner.
Larry skidded around the corner. Peach remained still. Her hands cupped her lips.
Roy's body lay against the wall. His head slumped over and his arms limp at his sides.
Larry's eyes welled up. His fingers twitched. "No no no."
Peach crouched beside Roy and put her hand to his chest. Her breath slowed. Roy snapped to attention and grabbed her arm. His deformed black sclera tinctured red in the emergency light. He bared his white fangs.
She yelped and tugged her arm away from Roy. She lost her balance and fell on her back. Even in the dark, Larry saw her terrified visage.
Roy gasped for breath. His faint gray irises slithered left and right. "P-Peach?"
"The one and only." She pushed herself up and set her back against the wall opposite Roy.
Roy moaned. "I saw the light and I thought for sure I was done for."
"Maybe we're all dead. I saw that light too." Larry mumbled. Maybe all of this was his mind constructing memories in his dying moments. He shivered at the thought and tried to banish the unease from his head.
"I wouldn't be hurting this bad if I was dead." Roy prodded his dressed wound. The tape that fastened the cloth to his skin upended in several spots. Roy smoothed the tape down, but the adhesive was spent. "Surprised Wendy got this thing on in the first place. She couldn't even look at the wound."
Color returned to Peach's cheeks. "Goodness. She's still squeamish? I remember when you guys were little, she about passed out when Lemmy cut his foot open on a rock."
"Oh yeah. We had to help carry her inside along with Lemmy." Roy chortled. Roy's brow drooped. He laid his head against the wall. "We're all scared of at least one dumb thing out there."
The trio marinated in the dismal silence.
Larry spoke, if only to preserve his sanity. "Hey Roy," Larry fidgeted with the bloodied towel on his face. "Sorry about, you know."
Roy's brows drew together. "The mission's first priority, you did it right."
Larry nibbled his bottom lip. He heard the fall in Roy's tone. Larry knew his older brother's disappointment. He wore it often.
Larry avoided Roy's gaze and faced Peach. She lay against the wall, her pensive gaze stared through the floor. She adjusted her gown and sniffled.
"Roy?" Wendy's voice echoed down the hall.
"We're here Wendy," Larry called out.
Her light footfalls clicked. She approached the group with a duffel bag draped over her shoulder. Her face obscured in the dim light.
"Thank the Seven Stars, you're okay." Larry reached out to her.
Wendy shoved past him and crouched beside Roy. She eased the bag to the floor and unzipped. "Sorry that took so long, there was this-"
"Light." Roy nodded.
"Yeah. Next thing I know I'm flat on my back and my bones felt like jelly." Wendy lifted a vial of ruby red potion. She pried the cork off with her claws. Bubbles fizzled over the top. Wendy set the medicinal potion in Roy's hand.
Roy tilted the bottle to his maw and downed the viscous liquid. He heaved, but managed to hold it down. "Fake cherry, my favorite."
Wendy ignored the sarcastic remark and undressed Roy's wounds. The white cloth stained black with dried blood. She shielded her eyes and reached into the duffel bag. She pulled out a thick pad of cloth and a glass bottle of clear liquid.
Her fingers trembled.
Larry shuddered at the open wound. A sucking gorge in his bicep. The exposed tissue glistened.
Peach crawled beside Wendy. She grabbed the fresh dressing and bottle. "Here. Let me."
Wendy opened her lips to protest, but Peach shushed her.
Peach rinsed her hands with the contents of the bottle. Then she poured the liquid on the gash. The liquid seeped into the wound, foam filled the gaps. His forearm tightened. He focused on Peach.
"Where'd you find her?"
"Hm?" Peach pressed the thick patch of cloth onto his gash.
"The lady who busted my glasses."
"Minerva, you mean. She came to me looking for work." Peach undressed the next wound and set to work. "Not as the captain of the guard, but a humble baker."
Roy snickered. "So she learned that fancy swordplay from cutting cakes all day."
"For all I know, that's true." Peach fastened tape over another wound. "She never told us about her other talents. She 'demonstrated' one day when a bandit forced entry into the servants quarters."
Peach wiped the sweat from her forehead and cupped her hand under Roy's chin. She twisted his head for a better look at his cheek. A purple bruise marred his face. She trickled a pinch of clear liquid over the laceration. "Mario suggested we put a sword in her hands and sign her up for the royal guard."
"And the rest is history." Roy rubbed his arm.
"I never knew she'd do something like this."
"Mario put me in pretty bad shape a couple of times in the past, and you don't seem to mind him." Roy leaned his head against the wall and stared at the ceiling.
"Mario never intends to kill you." Peach tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.
"Sometimes being left alive feels worse," Roy rubbed the seared flesh on his abdomen, "a lot worse."
The two other koopalings rotated towards Peach. Larry hunted for a fresh patch of the towel to dry his nose. Wendy leaned over her knees.
"He wouldn't have to retaliate if you and your kind didn't barge into my home and steal me away at the behest of your wretched father.
Again, silence. The koopalings avoided her accusatory glare. Larry coughed into his shoulder. "Maybe we should meet up with the others. It's too quiet here."
"Roy's in no condition to be traipsing around." Wendy zipped up the duffel bag closed. "No thanks to you, of course."
Larry's cheeks burned. "This isn't the time Wendy."
"You go ahead and find the others. We're not going anywhere."
Roy growled and forced his body from the floor. He supported his weight with the wall. His shoulders stooped. "Enough!"
Wendy and Larry jumped at his outburst.
"You're right Larry," Roy bared his teeth and coughed, "the others are probably worried sick."
"Roy, if this is about your pride..."
"Wendy's right too." Roy raised a finger to stop Wendy. "I don't know how far or long I can walk. We can't just search the whole ship."
Larry's pupils rolled to the upper left corner of his eye socket. He struggled to picture the layout of the ship. "I think everyone would gravitate towards the bridge. I mean Iggy and Luddy are probably there right now."
"That's all the way on the other side of the ship." Wendy threw up her arms.
Larry scratched his neck. There were two routes. One below deck, but the dark network of halls left too much room to get lost. "We can take the deck. It's a straight shot from there."
Roy grunted a quiet affirmative and limped along the wall. Wendy hoisted her duffel bag of medical supplies and offered her shoulder to Roy. He sighed and leaned a fraction of his weight on her, just to humor his concerned sister.
Larry looked to Peach.
"I'm coming." Peach stepped in front of Roy and tailed Larry.
The group edged close to the wall, their hands groped through the dark. Footsteps echoed in the void of silence. Larry hooked around a corner, a short flight of stairs ended at a hatch.
Rain drummed a hollow chant against the metal.
Larry twisted the lever and shoved the hatch open. Water splashed his face and soaked his hair. Frigid air slithered through him and seized his bones. He grimaced and shut the door.
The small group marched towards the bridge. Peach hugged herself tight and shivered. Roy grabbed her arm and tugged her beside him and Wendy. His broad frame blocked the wind and rain.
A shadow loomed in the misty gray clouds. Angular and broad, with a long pointed nose. Roy halted the march. "You see that?" Roy pointed over the starboard side.
"It's another ship." Larry shielded his eyes from the rain. "Ludwig must've called in back up."
"No way they'd get here that fast." Fierce wind blasted Wendy's bow from her head. Roy snatched it from the air and handed it to his sister. The cloud cover waxed and hid the aircraft.
"It might be one of yours, Peach," Larry said.
"Nah, they would've attacked by now." Roy popped his knuckles. "Maybe Ludwig knows who they are."
"Let's go ask him then, I'm freezing." Larry tramped over the decking. The circle of blood on his nostril dribbled down his face. He twisted the water from his towel and mopped the blood from lips.
They trekked further to the glass dome. Mist encircled the structure. The brass locking wheel shimmered in the gloom.
Larry entered first, his sopped hair dribbled water onto the carpet. Damp footprints trailed behind him. The familiar sight of koopa-troopas and monty moles lifted Larry's spirits. Idle chatter filled the air. Electric lanterns emitted fluorescent hues.
The other three shuffled to the meeting table. Wendy dropped her bag on the table and eased into a chair. Roy took his usual seat and cradled his head in his own forearms. Peach crawled into a chair and straightened her back, her hands stacked in her lap.
Larry peeked around the captain's chair. He sidled around a deep stain in the carpet and called out Ludwig's name. No response. A tired eyed koopa lifted his head from his console.
"You just missed him. He's at the reactor." The koopa said.
Larry dragged his claws through his hair and slumped over Ludwig's seat. "Do you know what happened?"
"Not exactly." The koopa sipped at a foam cup. "We pushed the reactor too hard, that's all the captain told us before he left."
Lightning flashed in the windows. Larry's attention snapped to the stimuli. The other ship appeared in the clouds. It was closer now. He managed to make out a cluster of shapes aboard her deck.
The crew and koopalings pressed their faces against the windows. Larry squinted. Among the figures, he recognized stark pink head. "That looks like you, Roy."
His exposed eyes watered. "And I'd swear that's Luddy, I'd recognize that blue mop anywhere."
Larry rubbed his eyes and stared again. Cannons primed with grappling hooks protruded from the side of the ship. The color drained from his face. "One of 'em looks like-"
"Peach." Wendy's eyes widened.
Sparks jettisoned from the rear of their cannons. The four-pronged hooks soared overhead, a chain fastened to each. They crashed onto the deck and dragged along the surface. Metal screeched and wood splintered until the hooks snagged. The chains tautened.
The Maelstrom swayed portside, the bridge's inhabitants fumbled into each other. Larry grabbed a console and steadied his feet. The enemy ship drew ever closer.
They stopped mere feet from touching. Seven figures hopped aboard the Maelstrom. A human woman, three short koopalings and three big ones. Moles poked their heads above deck through service hatches. A big wild-haired koopaling brandished a wand and launched a flaming orb at the moles.
A pillar of flames erupted on deck. Monty moles scattered in all directions. The three larger koopalings remained on deck and rounded up the moles.
Larry's jaw clenched. Blood rushed to his head. Wendy's voice brought him back to reality.
"Roy, we need to get going, these guys mean business."
Roy hobbled back from the window. Wendy hustled to a staircase. Peach followed after the two koopalings. The bridge crew hurtled down the stairs and deep into the ship.
Roy growled and pressed his hand against the bandaged gash on his arm. His knees shuddered. "Just get out of here Wendy. I'll only slow us down."
"Roy, we're not going through this again."
Larry drew his lower lip between his teeth. He imagined a fireball immolating his siblings as they navigated the Maelstrom's halls. He pursed his lips and attempted to straighten his back. "I can hold them off, maybe long enough for you guys to find someplace safe."
Roy's nose wrinkled. "You? Larry, they'll chew you up. Don't be stupid."
"Yeah you're better off running." Wendy glared. "You're good at that."
Larry's fists clenched. "That is it! I've had it with you people today. Roy, drag your limp tails down those stairs before I kick you down."
"Sheesh kid, calm yourself." Roy held his hand up.
"Get moving!"
Roy stumbled backward to Wendy. She grabbed his arm and lead him down stairs. Peach followed behind. She stopped and called Larry's name. He faced her.
"Try not to get yourself killed. I mean it."
"Yeah, yeah. Just go." Larry's unhooked his zapper dragoon pistols from his hips. Peach hobbled down the stairs. His gut twisted inside him. "Stars, don't let me die. Please don't let me die." He crept to the door. His nerves buzzed in his ears.
He twisted the door open and charged into the rain, dragoons raised.
X-X-X
Ludwig drummed his claws on the reactors cage. He clicked his tongue against his teeth. "It's still not drawing power from the star."
Iggy slipped a wrench over a bolt and cranked it. Steam hissed at the joint of another pipe. Iggy gasped and twisted another nearby bolt. The vapor eased. The reactor pulsated and hummed. "I think we need to face it: we're not going to make it out of the Mushroom Kingdom."
"No." Ludwig punched the wall. "We're this close." He pinched his fingers and held them to his eye. His upper lip twitched. "This is Junior's fault. He left his high and dry at the worst possible moment. I bet he's on his way home right now, ready to surprise Bowser with the terrible news."
"Don't hate me for this Luddy, but it's kind of your fault too."
A fire lit in Ludwig's eyes, he grabbed Iggy and pinned him. Iggy kicked at Ludwig's stomach, but they glanced off his paunch. Ludwig's nostrils flared.
"What I mean to say, Ludwig, is tha-" Iggy gagged and clawed at Ludwig's thick forearm, "is that you hinged part of your plan on an unreliable person." Ludwig's grip eased, Iggy sucked a mouthful of air. "I'm angry at him too, but what did you expect?"
Ludwig blinked twice. He dropped Iggy. A pang of guilt needled his gut. A muscle in his jaw twitched. Volumes of repressed anger boiled in his blood. He drew a lungful of air and pressed it through his nostrils.
A nerve cracked.
He roared and punched the wall. Pain seared his knuckles. He pounded the wall again. Tears blurred his vision. He punched the wall over and over. The protective scales on his knuckles bent out of shape, a fresh bruise swelled on the tender flesh beneath. He looked at his hand and rubbed the swollen flesh.
"It's not the end of the world." Iggy inched back from Ludwig and remained far from striking range. "We can think of something."
"They're going to lock us up in their dungeons for a long time. Bowser's not coming back for us." Ludwig seethed. His eyes glistened. "I ruined us Iggy."
"Save a temper tantrum for your jail cell, I'm sure you'll have a hole in the wall in no time." Iggy grinned but faltered halfway. His arms dropped to his sides.
Ludwig's head slumped against the dented wall. He dragged his aching hand through his hair. "The emergency power isn't going to last long, is it?"
"Our fair lady will have to touch ground within the next few hours." Iggy exhaled a melancholy sigh.
Every eye in the castle would see the Maelstrom's descent. He wagered the Mushroomian defense would hold their fire: no sense in blasting their monarch to pieces. He envisioned the crowds, lines of spectators there to witness his colossal failure. Yet another disgraceful chapter under Ludwig's leadership. His brow creased. "I have an idea."
"Let's hear it." Iggy adjusted his glasses.
"It's not much better than being captured, I suppose, but we can take off in the lifeboats. All eyes will be on the Maelstrom while we make our escape. Then it's just a matter of getting to the border."
"We're not getting very far with Queen Toadstool."
"Forget about her. We'll drop her off with a lifeboat and let her go." Ludwig waved his hand dismissively. "It'll be a miracle if half of us make it to the border without the added risk of smuggling their monarch out of the country."
Iggy stroked his chin. "Hey, it's worth a shot. "
"Have the crew spread the word about our plan." Ludwig opened the reactor room door. "I'll try and get the intercom working again, but I doubt I'll make meaningful progress with the little time we have left."
"Will do." Iggy followed Ludwig out the door.
Ludwig strode down the hall. His mussed hair ruffled with his gait. He stroked his bruised knuckles and winced.
A squat figure stood alone in the dark. He wore his hair in a tall slicked back mohawk. Ludwig praised his luck and bumped his stride to a jog. "Larry, come here, I need your help."
The Maelstrom jerked. Ludwig slammed to the side. Iggy crashed into his gut and knocked the wind out of him. The crimson emergency lights flickered.
The figure disappeared into the dark. Ludwig winced and shoved Iggy off him. "Larry wait." Ludwig gasped for air. Concussive blasts rattled the ship. Ludwig rubbed his sore ribs. No way the Mushroomers could hit them with such poor sight-lines. But then, who else could it be. Ludwig's eyes widened. "The other ship!"
"Other ship?" Iggy rose to his feet and dusted his legs.
Ludwig dragged himself to his feet and ran down towards the service hatch.
"Ludwig, wait." Iggy chased after him.
The brothers poked their heads above deck. Fireballs scorched the wood surface. The metal reinforcement boiled red. Ludwig's eyes followed the carnage, a replica of the "Maelstrom" was tethered to the side of the ship by grappling hooks.
"It wasn't an illusion." Ludwig panted. Rain and sweat swirled down his forehead.
"Ludwig you're freaking me out," Iggy shouted over the storm and chaos.
Ludwig tackled Iggy to the floor. A fireball soared overhead and exploded into a cluster of smaller embers. One landed on Iggy's arm. He gasped and pat it out.
"When I first woke up after the reactor failed, the crew saw an outline of another ship in the clouds. I wrote it off as some sort of residual shadow from the flash." Ludwig's eyes shifted erratically. He brushed the wet hair from his eyes.
"Wait does that mean..."
A shrill cackle filled the air. Ludwig and Iggy covered their ears. A pained cry drowned the rainfall.
Ludwig and Iggy faced each other. "Larry!"
Ludwig peered out of the service hatch and tried to make sense of what he saw. Three figures surrounded Larry. All displayed familiar features: a pink head, a star birthmark, wild blue hair. Their bodies blurred out of focus, and yet Larry's remained crisp. Ludwig blinked, and they were normal.
"The hell..." Ludwig rubbed his eyes.
Larry lay on his back. His pistols kicked out of his reach. A swollen bruise on his cheek.
The apparent ringleader, a stocky koopaling with a wild mane of blue hair, aimed his wand at Larry. Fierce azure fire formed at the tip. A crowd of monty moles sat on their knees, claws behind their heads. "Oh, that was something alright. You sure showed us, kid. Those peashooters sure were cute." He capped the sentence with another cackle, a shrill string of syllables that tortured the eardrums.
"Stars...he's even more annoying than you." Iggy's muzzle wrinkled. "Please kill him."
"You first." Ludwig glared at Iggy.
"I would, but, noodle arms." Iggy wiggled his limbs.
Ludwig rolled his eyes and climbed from the service hatch. He clenched his fists and trudged towards the gaggle of 'copycat koopalings.' The Roy-clone elbowed the Morton-clone and pointed at Ludwig.
"Oh boy here comes a new challenger. A perfect match-up for Kooky. Dare I say it's his missing half. The other side of the coin, if you will. He looks like a loser Kooky, I'm sure you can take him. Just don't get too cocky because the cocky one always loses in the-"
'Kooky' smacked the Morton-clone. "Shut it." Kooky coughed into his elbow and slicked back his hair. A wild grin on his lips. "Well, what do we have here. The omega to my alpha. This could be fun."
Ludwig folded his arms and eyeballed the wand. The flame sizzled in the rain. "I don't know what plane of existence excreted you, but I will not tolerate some malformed maniac disrespecting my crew or my family."
"I'd just like a word with the captain of your vessel. Maybe you can point me to him."
"Get off my ship."
"So eager to die, I love it." Kooky aimed the wand and launched the fireball at Ludwig.
Ludwig inhaled a swift breath of air and concentrated. He visualized his Ember. It waxed and flickered. Warmth spread from his chest to his limbs. A white heat brewed in his core. Steam rose from his skin.
The magic fireball blasted Ludwig full force. Fire engulfed the koopaling. Wind scattered the thick smoke. The air stank of sulfur and brimstone.
Kooky reeled back, his maw twisted with laughter. He smacked his knee and turned to Larry. "Been waiting to try that move."
"It was just a bigger fireball than the last one." The Roy clone jeered.
"Zip it or you're next ." Kooky pointed the wand
"Hey, dumbass." The light cleared. Ludwig remained unscathed and his arms folded. Smoke billowed from his lips and nostrils. A low fog pooled around his ankles.
"This thing broken or something." Kooky banged his wand on the ground.
Ludwig touched the tips of his claws together and spread them. A royal blue fireball manifested in his palm. "I'm giving you one last chance."
"I see." Kooky's eyelid twitched. "Hey, let's test baby brother's luck too." Kooky giggled and aimed the wand at Larry.
Ludwig and Larry exchanged a glance. Ludwig lowered his hand, but kept the flame alight. The crowd of mock-koopalings cheered.
"I'll cut you a deal. You give us Queen Toadstool, and we shall spare your lives."
Ludwig closed his hand. His flame disappeared."I have your word?"
"Course you do. I always hold my ends of bargains. Life's simpler that way." Kooky inspected his claws and casually stirred his wand in the air. A new fireball followed the tip.
Ludwig closed his hand and snuffed the flame. He scratched the stubble on his chin and shrugged. "Guess I have no choice but-" Ludwig opened his palm, his magic flame exploded in size. He feinted forward towards Kooky.
Kooky shrieked and launched his fireball at Larry. Ludwig twisted his free hand and intercepted it with a fire ball of his own. The two collided midair and exploded. Then he hurled another one at his psychotic counterpart.
Kooky ducked beneath the fireball.
Ludwig jogged up to Kooky and swiped at him with flaming claws.
Kooky yelped and tumbled back.
Ludwig roared. A plume of smoke spilled from his lips. Flames crawled from Ludwig's maw and engulfed Kooky's arm.
Kooky wagged his arm and screamed. He dropped to the ground and rolled. "Firebreath! That's cheating."
The other mock-koopalings looked to their leader, then to Ludwig.
"Stop gawking at him and tear his head off." Kooky seethed from the ground.
The Roy and Morton clones inched forward. Ludwig opened his mouth and sprayed molten liquid onto the ground. It adhered to the deck and erupted into an infernus wall. The clones leaped out of the licking flames' reach.
"Easier said than done, my medium-well sibling. My skin's just a tad too sensitive to all this fire magic going on and-"
"Shut it, Bigmouth." The Roy clone snapped.
"Bigmouth. How apt." Ludwig focused his attention on the two of them. "What are you then? Jock, Pinkhead, Shades?"
"Bully, ya smartass."
"My deepest condolences, whoever named you is an idiot." Ludwig prepped another fireball. "I'm still feeling generous. I'm going to count to five and if you're still here, I will roast you alive."
Bigmouth and Bully inched back.
Ludwig's body seized. Balefire exploded from his maw. His knees spasmed and he crumbled to the ground. A purple orb jutted from his side and spewed electrical energy. Ludwig struggled against his stiffening joints.
A barefoot blond woman in a tattered gown wielded Lemmy's superscope. She aimed and pulled the trigger again. The firing mechanism clicked. "Cheap trash." She dropped the gun and sashayed towards Ludwig. Two more koopaling clones stood behind her: smaller ones with rainbow colored mohawks.
They dragged the real Lemmy along the ground. His body wrapped in a bedsheet and bound with rope. He wriggled against his bonds to no avail.
Kooky's jaw tremored. He tip-toed towards Ludwig and tapped the stunned koopaling's muzzle with his wand. Ludwig snarled and raised his arm to swipe. His elbow locked. Ludwig tumbled forward, his face planted on the ground.
"Heh, heh," Kooky kicked Ludwig's face. His terse grunts devolved into a maniacal laugh. He whirled in a circle and kicked Ludwig's stomach.
Ludwig's gut seized and his maw opened. Thick orange guck spilled from his lips and splattered on the ground. It bubbled in the rain. The Maelstrom's decking crackled and burned. Kooky squealed and tripped back.
"D'aw, someone can't hold his Ember." Amanita paced Ludwig.
"Peach?" Ludwig wheezed. His vision wavered. He belched smoke and gagged.
"My, this one's a real winner: fat and stupid." She kicked Ludwig's stomach and forced him onto his back. "Get comfortable with the name Amanita, Peach is going away someday soon. "
He heaved twice. Sparks erupted from his mouth. His body shivered.
"Any sign of the others?" Amanita turned towards Kooky.
"No, your highness." Kooky clasped his hands and bowed. "We found the smaller one and these moles on deck. He found us." Kooky pointed at Ludwig.
"But no queen Toadstool, what a shame." Amanita crouched beside Ludwig. She pinched his cheek, her nails dug into his skin. "It's like a fairytale. A fair maiden trapped in a maze guarded by four horrible beasts. Might you have a hint for us, a word of advice if you will, Tubs?"
Ludwig's brow puckered. "Yes. I've a few four letter words you might-" his eyes widen and he retched. He hacked up another pile of molten Ember. Amanite released his cheek and tipped away.
"How crass." Amanita shook her head.
"Perhaps we could coax it out of them with gentle prodding. Of course, when I say gentle, I'm being sarcastic. I mean to say-"
"Bigmouth, I get it." Amanita cooed. "You remain with the prisoners and do your worst. Be sure to tell your bratty sister about all the fun she missed."
"Affirmative your majesty, you will have your answers in no time at all."
"You two, we're going below deck." Amanita gestured for Kooky and Bully to follow. "Hip, Hop: be a couple of dears and help Bigmouth with his work."
"Of course, your majesty." Hip, the Lemmy lookalike, grabbed his brother's hand. The shy one resembled Iggy with his once rainbow mowhawk.
"Let's get to work, boys." Amanita and her crew dispersed.
X-X-X
Iggy watched the Peach clone and two of the bigger guys dropped below decks. The remaining few rounded up the prisoners. Iggy crawled up the hatch and crept along the deck. His green hair flopped over his face in a wet veil. He bunched his hair up and slicked it back. "Where's a hair tie when you need one?" He hissed to himself.
He crouched behind a crate and listened.
"You, monty moles, lift that one. I very well can't on account of his physique and while I am ashamed to ask for your help in the matter, I am inclined to fry anyone who disobeys. Now hurry up."
Iggy leaned past the corner.
The moles skittered around Ludwig and lifted in tandem. His claws dragged along the ground. Iggy pursued them at a safe distance.
The smaller koopalings dragged Lemmy along the ground by a rope. Lemmy's muffled cries made Iggy wince. "I'm coming buddy."
Iggy watched them enter the safety of the bridge. He drew a deep sigh. "That way's out of the question." He shuffled across the deck and clambered down a hatch.
He slipped below deck and strained his ears in the sweeping dark. If he learned anything from his previous encounter, he would hear the freaks long before he saw them. Content with the silence, Iggy advanced.
He studied familiar reference points in the dark. His mind's eye conjured the Maelstrom's blueprint. He followed a length of yellow pipe down the corridor until he reached a "T" intersection.
He rounded the corner and followed the right. His claws clicked and echoed through the dark. "No, no. Too loud." He whispered to himself. He rolled his heel along the floor, he took care not to let his claws clatter. Perfect.
"It's all in the calves," Lemmy told him once. His 'sneaky walk' was an integral tool to get the jump on his unsuspecting brothers or even Bowser on some occasions. The little twit even managed to beat Roy's refined sense of hearing.
Iggy sighed. His calves ached. He resumed his normal walk to conserve energy. The final length of the hallway before the bridge stretched before him. It dawned on Iggy that he had no means to actually defeat the Morton clone.
The armory was out of the question: it was on the other side of the ship and he ran the risk of running into more goons.
Wandless casting? Yeah right. He saw what happened when Ludwig used his own body as a catalyst and he was practiced in the art.
He tapped the thick of his skull with his knuckle. "Think, Iggy, think." He paced his narrow strip. He needed something to level the playing field. Ranged weapon preferred.
He noticed a fire-extinguisher hooked to the wall. A grin twisted his lips. He lifted the weighted canister from the wall. His arms buckled.
"Note to self. Install lighter fire extinguishers." He tugged the pin that locked the triggering mechanism and hoisted it up a flight of stairs. Bigmouth's voice echoed from the bridge.
"...and another thing, I really need you to teach me how you do that cool pyromancy junk. Like, you didn't even need a wand. I about peed myself from excitement when you summoned a flame with just your hands. I promise I'll only pull out that dumb buck tooth and make your face look presentable if you reveal your secrets."
Iggy wrapped his fingers around the discharge lever and hiked up the stairs. The extinguisher clanged against the staircase. Iggy stifled a curse and froze.
"Crud. Is that Amanita? Forget anything you heard about me asking for cool pyromantic skills I just wanted to get buddy-buddy before I pulled the rug out from under-"
Iggy scrambled up the stairs and into the bridge.
Bigmouth sat at the meeting table, Ludwig's half conscious body was laid across the top. The squat mock-koopaling raised his wand, but Iggy squeezed the discharge lever before he managed a spell. A stream of chemical foam spewed from the hose and into Bigmouth's open maw.
Iggy slammed Bigmouth's stomach with the extinguisher. Bigmouth's wand clattered to the floor. Iggy scooped it up, it felt crude and lumpy in his hands.
He aimed it at Bigmouth's chest.
Bigmouth held his hands up. The foam in his mouth gargled out. "You got me I-"
Iggy prodded Bigmouth's face with the wand. "Not another peep, you loquacious lunatic."
Bigmouth nodded and clamped his mouth shut. He gagged on the foam and spit it on the floor. His star birthmark vanished and reappeared.
Iggy edged towards Larry and the rest of the hostages seated with their backs against the wall. He undid Larry's gag and tore his restraints with his pointed claw. Larry gasped and sputtered. "Can't believe you actually pulled that off."
"I'll just take that as a compliment." Iggy rolled his eyes. "Help the others so we can deal with 'discount Morton' here."
Larry nodded and slit the rope restraints on his fellow hostages. The moles wriggled free and surrounded Bigmouth. He raised a hand to swat them, but the moles tackled his limbs.
Larry opened the closet and the moles shoved Bigmouth inside. He banged on the door and shouted. Larry and a few moles crowded the door to hold him in.
"Shoot, he's stronger than he looks."
"We're going to need something heavy to block him in."
All eyes shifted towards Ludwig.
"Don't you...you even think about it." Ludwig hissed.
"Just for a little bit, we can't have him making too much noise." Iggy scooped his arms beneath Ludwig's armpits and tried to tug him off the table. "Little help, please." A squad of moles reached up at Ludwig.
"Sorry captain." One grunted.
"Please don't fire me, I have a wife and kids to feed."
"In my opinion, you'd make a striking barricade sir."
Ludwig shoved the moles back. "At least allow me the dignity of walking myself there." He swung his legs over the side of the table and hobbled. He plopped on the ground and pressed his weight against the door.
"What'd those other ones do with Lemmy?"
Larry ran to the staircase. "They dragged him this way."
"Hoo boy. Why'd it have to be down there?" Iggy clutched Bigmouth's wand to his chest and approached the staircase. "This is going to be risky."
"So's storming a room full of hostages with nothing but a fire extinguisher." Larry shoved past Iggy and hopped down the stairs. Larry's squad of moles followed after.
Iggy gulped and jogged to catch up. He hissed at Larry. "Slow down. You want to get captured again?"
Larry skidded on his heels and tilted his ear to the air. "Shush. I hear voices."
Iggy held his breath. The claustrophobic corridors of the Maelstrom amplified all noise around him. The mole's claws clicking against the metal floors. Their tools jangled on their utility belts.
Then, muffled laughter and a dull thudding sound.
"Yeah, I-"
Larry pressed a finger to his lip and pointed at a cabin door. A stream of light trickled beneath the bottom. The shadows of feet danced in the yellow glow.
Larry and Iggy pressed their backs against the wall and waited on opposite sides of the door. The moles unhooked various tools from their belts and poised them to strike.
Iggy held up three of his claws and mouthed. "Countdown."
The others nodded and tensed.
Iggy counted back with his fingers, and after his index claw dropped, he yanked open the door. The crew flooded in with improvised weapons raised. Orange sparks spilled from the stolen wand in Iggy's hand.
"Freeze punks!" Iggy held his wand in front of him.
Lemmy and the two clones sat in a circle. They plucked chips from a bag set between them. A leather satchel lay on its side at the foot of a bed.
"Like I always say, it's all in the calves." Lemmy chuckled between a mouthful of chips.
"My stuff!" Larry shoved past everyone and grabbed the satchel.
The two smaller koopalings jumped at Larry's sudden presence. The shorter of the two tucked the bag of chips away from Larry. The taller one glared.
Larry clutched his belongings to his chest.
"Hey Stretch" Lemmy grinned. "Just playing meet and greet with a couple of new pals."
"New pals? Lemmy, we need to get out of here." Iggy grabbed Lemmy's arm.
"Slow down there, Stretch." Lemmy slipped out of Iggy's grip. "They're just looking for Peach is all. The boys here explained it nice and clear for me."
Iggy scowled at the clones. Their eyes flickered different colors for a moment. Then reset to normal. Iggy's jaw slacked.
"Yeah I thought that was weird at first, but you just kinda learn to ignore it."
"I see you're ignoring all the crap they put you through too."
"From what I understand, you guys didn't exactly have a warm welcome ready either." Lemmy huffed.
"She forcefully boarded the ship and had her lackeys shoot fireballs at us. What're we supposed to do, bake 'em cookies and lick their boots." Larry snapped.
"This true?" Lemmy put his hands on his hips and looked at the clones.
Hop, the Iggy clone, opened his mouth first, "uh."
"Maybe." Hip, the Lemmy clone, finished and avoided Lemmy's stare.
Lemmy tutted and climbed to his feet. "Come on guys, we said we weren't gonna bend the truth. That causes this thing called 'miscommunication.'"
"Sorry Lemmy."
"Yeah. Sorry."
"Speaking of miscommunication, perhaps we've all gotten off on the wrong foot." Lemmy scuffled his heel into the ground. "That lady in charge just needs Peach out of the picture so she can run the Mushroom Kingdom without them asking questions. We were just at the wrong place, at the wrong time."
"Lemmy, they aren't 'people,' they're freak accidents." Iggy dragged his claws along the side of his face. "You saw that...that eye thing. These guys aren't natural. They are not friendly. In fact, they opened fire on our ship the moment they noticed us."
"Whoa, that's not very nice." Lemmy crossed his arms.
"Listen to what you are saying: the Peach clone wants the real Peach out of the picture. You know who else has a freaky clone? Think about it. " Iggy prodded Lemmy's chest with his claw.
Lemmy faced the clones. "Listen to this guy, he's overreacting just a tad, isn't he?"
"Yeah. We'd never replace you, Lemmy." Hip leaned forward. "You're cool."
"Tall guy's a stick in the mud, though. I don't like him." Hop shook his head. "He could do with a replacement."
Iggy flailed his hand at Hop. "He just admitted it."
"Iggy, he's being sarcastic. You of all people should know that. He's you."
"He is not me." Iggy stretched to his full height.
"You know, you're right. He's not much like you at all." Lemmy put his claw to his chin. "You're reminding me of a certain someone right now. Bucktooth, big hair, constant downer..."
Larry butted in "Hey, that 'constant downer' stuck his neck out for me and got zapped by a superscope for his efforts. A superscope you lost."
"Time out. No double teaming." Lemmy made a 'T' with his hands. He grabbed Iggy's arm and pulled his younger brother's face level to his own. He whispered: "Even if they aren't up to any good, we don't need any more enemies right now. Especially since we're technically at their mercy. We've got nowhere to run."
Iggy looked towards the door. "Technically we have one way out."
Lemmy's eyes lit up.
"Why didn't you say so?" Lemmy hissed. "Uh, the bros and I need to talk something out between ourselves." Lemmy smiled at the clones.
Iggy, Larry, and Lemmy approached the door.
Iggy nudged a mole. "Watch them."
The mole nodded.
The trio stepped into the hall and closed the door behind them.
Iggy watched the long dark. His toes twitched. "We don't have a lot of time. The reactor won't draw power from the star and emergency power is burning out as we speak."
"When you said 'way out,' I thought you meant something other than 'death by airship crash.'" Larry hissed.
"Hold on. I-I'm not finished." Iggy peeked around Larry and continued. "Ludwig and I got to thinking. The ship is outfitted with emergency escape ships, 'lifeboats,' Bowser's been pretty adamant about having them installed since the KKS Sepulcher's crash four years back-"
"Skip the lesson, Iggy." Lemmy shook Iggy's arm.
"Sorry, sorry," Iggy's palms glistened with sweat, "the locations were outlined in your 'disaster preparedness' pamphlets."
"The what?" Lemmy said.
"You...didn't read them." Iggy sighed. "They're all on the storage level of the ship."
"Okay. So get to the lower level, hop in an escape pod, land in MK territory and get captured. Genius." Larry scoffed.
"The Maelstrom's descent should distract anyone on the ground long enough for us to land and get a headstart to the MK-Koopa border. I realize that it's a long shot, but I can't think of anything better..."
"Easy, Iggy." Lemmy grabbed Iggy's hand. "I have a better idea."
"No. We are not chumming up to those freaks." Iggy hissed.
"They have a ride home, and if we get on their good side maybe they'll consider dropping us off."
"We're as good as dead the moment they find Peach. She's the only reason they left Ludwig and you alive."
Lemmy wore a disarming smile. "Just trust me, Iggy. I have a feeling I can-"
"What? Win them over with your wit and charm? You're kidding me."
Lemmy's smile cracked. His eyes fell. "Okay, if that's how you want to be. Fine." Lemmy pivoted on his heels and marched to the bedroom door and opened it. "Have fun getting captured by Mushroomers."
Lemmy closed the door and left Larry and Iggy in the dark. Larry bit his bottom lip. "We can't just leave him."
"Can and will." Iggy huffed. "Get your crew together. We'll see if Ludwig's up for a bit of a walk."
Larry nodded slow and looked at the door. A bleak frown on his lips. "Alright, Iggy."
X-X-X
Roy steadied his breathing. He closed his eyes and listened. Heavy footfalls rumbled around the corner. Two pairs of big guys. Or something big with four legs. He pressed his back to the wall and held his hand up to stop Wendy. He put a claw to his lips and pointed at the corner.
Wendy nodded and sidled against a wall.
He cradled his injured arm and slipped into a cabin. Wendy followed behind.
Iggy's right-hand-mole, Rocky, and a yellow shelled koopa-troopa sat at a table. Their faces illuminated by candlelight. A spread of playing cards in front of them.
"Come on, stars beats shrooms." The koopa-troopa crossed his arms.
Rocky cleared his throat. "But I've three of shrooms."
"And I've got three stars."
Roy put his ear to the door, the lumbering footsteps grew louder. Roy limped across the room and blew out the candles. Rocky and the koopa began to protest but Roy covered their mouths.
Someone cried out in the hall. "Shoot. Just another dumb mole." Bully's voice echoed.
"Add him to the bunch. We've almost got a full set. " Kooky giggled, then burst into a full-blown cackle.
Their footsteps tread down the hall. A procession of weak footfalls followed. Roy cracked the door a pinch and watched the captured crew. Moles, koopas, no sign of his brothers.
"That's not funny ya moron." Bully shoved Kooky.
Kooky shoved back and scoffed. "I can't help it. It's glandular."
"That's your excuse for damn near everything."
The freaks disappeared around the corner, the prisoners followed.
Roy eased the door closed and sighed. Larry was absent, so he either he bit the dust or he made it out okay. "I think they're gone." Roy approached the table.
Rocky struck a match and lit the candle once again. Roy winced and covered his sensitive eyes. Rocky spoke: "For now. Those numbskulls have looped around that hallway four times by my count."
"I wager they're lost." The yellow shelled koopa nodded. "They'll give up and leave eventually."
Roy rubbed his temples and pulled up a seat. He examined the room. A closet hung open, clean overalls lined the rack. A utility belt dangled from the wall. A paperback book lay on the nightstand beside a picture of six younger moles and Rocky in the middle.
"You haven't seen any others have you?" Roy said.
"Nobody but Konrad here." Rocky dealt cards between him and the koopa. "Not since the reactor overload at least."
"The light..." Wendy paced her corner of the room.
"Aye. The boss and I tried our best to fix the thing, but you saw how that turned out." Rocky scritched his stomach. "One second I'm cranking valves, the next I'm in bed with my guts turning somersaults."
"Master Iggy had a few of us early risers escort some of the unconscious ones." Konrad twirled his wrist. "Figures, we get boarded soon as the power cuts."
"We need to find the others, put our heads together, and maybe we can come up with something." Roy limped to the door. "My brothers might be idiots, but these guys are way worse."
Wendy grabbed his arm. "Roy, look at you, they so much as stare at you hard enough they'll knock you down."
"I can't just shack up here and hope help comes to us."
"Your sister has a point." Rocky chided. "You ought to think about hunkering down someplace safe."
"Those guys'll find us eventually. The only safe places are off this ship, and we don't exactly have the luxury of leaving." Roy rubbed the bridge of his nose.
Rocky and Konrad stared at each other. "Well, there's always the lifeboats."
"Say what?"
"It was in your 'disaster preparedness' pamphlet. Section three? Every cabin had one." Konrad crossed his arms.
Roy glared at Konrad's tone. Rocky waved his hand. "They're little emergency ships. I mean there's not enough fuel to get you too far, but they'll carry you a goodly distance."
"Beats being stuck up here." Wendy nodded. "You guys think you can show us the way?"
Rocky drummed his claws on the table and leaned towards Roy. "If I stick my neck out for you kids, I'd like something in return."
"Why you greedy little-" Wendy opened her mouth. Roy interrupted her.
"Name it."
"I'd like you to negotiate my raise with your brother. I get the feeling he'd listen to a guy like you."
"Deal." Roy shook hands with the mole. It wouldn't be hard, assuming Iggy was not obliterated in the accident.
"Alright Kon, let's blow this joint." Rocky blew out the candles and grabbed his belt off the wall.
Konrad stood from the table and limbered up his arms. "It's going to be quite a walk, you think you handle it?"
"Ever get doused in hot lava and live to tell the tale?" Roy stared at Konrad, nonplussed.
"Right, off we go then."
The four of them left the room and ducked into the hallway. Rocky lead through the dark, his sensitive nose twitched. He scurried through the dark on all fours. His tools clanked.
Roy limped down the hall. Wendy propped him up. The combined weight of her brother and the duffel bag she carried slowed their pace to a crawl.
"Stop. I can walk." Roy grabbed a yellow pipe on the wall and steadied himself.
He imagined freak-one and freak-two around every corner. He hated the fear that welled in his gut. He knew he could trounce those bozos any day of the week, if not for his current condition.
"Watch your step. These stairs are pretty steep." Rocky hoisted open a hatch and waited for the others to follow.
"You first." Konrad stepped aside for Roy. "I'd rather not be crushed if you take a tumble."
Roy grumbled and eased down the steps. He touched bottom and examined his surroundings. There were crates stacked to the ceiling. Food, weapons, spare parts, the whole gamut.
The group followed Rocky to the end of a crate corridor. He stopped and waited for the others to catch up. Rocky pointed at an open hatch. "Heads up, someone's been here."
Wendy raised her wand and stepped up to the front of the group. "I've got this."
Roy sincerely hoped she did. They clambered down the hatch and into the 'lifeboat' dock. Several cylindrical pods lined the walls in neat rows. Roy peeked into one. Yellow cushioned seats wrapped around the edges of the pod in a circle. A pilot's chair stood alone before a computer monitor. Each came with adjustable restraints for the disparate sizes of The Koopa Kingdom's races.
Heavy footsteps against the metal catwalk stole Roy's attention. The pink-faced koopaling pulled his head from the pod and watched the end of the walkway. A broad figure with a mop of blue hair waited at the end.
Wendy aimed her wand. "Back off!"
"Put that away. It's just me." Ludwig called out across the way. He hobbled across the room. Iggy and Larry climbed out of an escape pod nearby. A squad of moles flooded the walkway.
"Boss, you're alright!" Rocky shuffled towards the group.
Roy uttered silent thanks to the stars.
"Glad to see you're in one piece." Ludwig sized up his bandaged brother. "You look like crap."
"You too." Roy wheezed.
The eldest koopaling's hair was a tangled mop of frizz. A red blotch covered his torso on the right side. His cheeks wan and lips stained with a crusted substance.
"Iggy's superscope is a potent weapon, I'll give him that." Ludwig rubbed at his side.
"Sheesh, you sure Lemmy didn't kill the Mario bros?" Roy faced Iggy.
"It hurts, but it is non-lethal. I, uh, tested it myself." Iggy leaned against a pod. "Ludwig also happened to be channeling his Ember without a wand when he got zapped."
"It was pretty badass. He took a fire blast and didn't even flinch." Larry interjected. He tugged at Ludwig's arm and tried to get him on board.
Iggy rolled his eyes. "You know, before he barfed molten Ember on the deck."
"Not my finest moment, I'll admit." Ludwig's brow furrowed
"Way to almost kill yourself." Wendy crossed her arms.
"Still, takes stones." Roy shrugged.
"Wow was that a compliment?" Ludwig raised a brow.
"Yeah don't get used to it." Roy rubbed his wounded bicep. "I take it none of you found Morton."
The room fell silent.
"I'm surprised such a big guy can stay hidden for so long." Iggy frowned. "I almost forgot about him, I've been so wrapped up in getting down here in one piece."
Wendy stepped forward. "We can't leave without him, and what about Lemmy?"
Iggy looked at the floor. "Lemmy's elected to stay with his captors. He's got in in his head that a diplomatic approach can work. I tried to talk him out of it, but you know him. Not too good at listening."
Roy shook his head. "He's from the Koopa Clan alright. Stubborn little punk."
"You're one to talk." Wendy grabbed his good arm. "Come on, let's get you strapped in."
Roy rolled his eyes and ducked into one of the lifeboats. He shuffled into a seat and fumbled with the adjustable seatbelts. Wendy dropped the duffel bag onto the floor and grabbed the restraint.
Roy batted her hands away. "Knock it off. I can still use my arms."
Wendy's hands retreated to her sides. She nodded a terse apology and stepped back. "Alright Ludwig, you next."
Ludwig ducked head beneath the doorway and sat in the seat opposite Roy. He leaned over, his elbows rested on his knees. His expression pensive.
Roy monitored the doorway. Iggy and Wendy stood near the frame.
"Morton's out there somewhere. He didn't leave me behind, I'm not leaving him behind." Wendy put her hands on her hips.
"We can't just leave these guys down here either." Iggy turned to Roy and Ludwig.
"Uh, guys," Larry called from down the walkway.
Iggy and Wendy ignored him.
"Then you stay with them and I'll go look, you spineless twerp."
"Guys!" Larry tackled Iggy to the floor. A bolt of electric energy blasted the wall behind Iggy's head.
Roy unhooked his seatbelt and hobbled to the door. A gangly blue haired figure stood at the end of the walkway. Lightning crackled at the tip of his wand.
"So that's your game. Running away with your tails tucked between your legs." Cheatsy wrapped both his hands around the base of his wand. Bolts of energy scattered forth.
Konrad and Rocky scrambled for a pod, but Cheatsy swatted Konrad. The koopa retreated into his shell armor. Cheatsy electrified the shell with his wand and smacked it into the crowd of moles. The moles blasted in every direction.
Kon." Rocky gasped. He pulled a wrench from his belt and hurled it at Cheatsy. Cheatsy deflected it and slammed Rocky's chest with the tip of his wand. Rocky convulsed and blasted into the hull of a pod.
Iggy aimed Bigmouth's wand. Sparks exploded from the wrong end and singed Iggy's hand. He yelped and dropped the wand.
Wendy brandished her wand and stepped forward.
Larry and Iggy ducked behind her.
"Get in here." Roy reached out to grab Wendy. She smacked his hand.
"I'm not leaving Morton. I can handle this jerk." Wendy launched an energy net at Cheatsy.
Cheatsy tucked his legs to his knees and rolled through a gap in the net. He kicked back onto his feet and launched a lightning ball with a backhanded swipe. Sparks scattered and the ball corkscrewed towards Wendy.
Wendy smacked it back with her own wand.
Cheatsy sidestepped and smacked the lightning ball upwards with an underhanded lob.
Wendy's eyes followed the ball but realized Cheatsy's ploy too late.
The rival koopaling closed the gap between them and blasted her chest with his wand.
Wendy flew back into Iggy, Larry ducked out of the way.
Cheatsy pointed his wand at Larry's neck. "Ah! Hold it."
Larry's hairs stood on end. A static drone filled the air. The lightning ball from earlier descended. Larry backstepped and slammed himself against an undeployed pod.
Cheatsy leaned forward to stop Larry. "I said-"
The lightning ball struck Cheatsy in the back. His knees buckled and his hair flashed colors. Larry tackled Cheatsy into Ludwig and Roy's pod and pounded the doppelganger's face with his fists.
Cheatsy kicked Larry off him and raised his wand.
Ludwig snagged Cheatsy by his greasy mohawk and slammed his head into the wall. Cheatsy's wand discharged and blasted a panel by the door.
The pod doors sealed and the lights flickered on.
Iggy's face pressed against the window. He pounded and shouted: "open the door." His breath fogged the glass.
Larry nodded and looked at the controls. Sparks spewed from the busted buttons. He nibbled on one of his claws and looked at Iggy again. Larry yelled: "It's busted."
Iggy ducked away from the door. Flames erupted against the glass. Iggy brought his head up again and screamed. "Go!"
Larry shoved past Ludwig and his doppelganger to the pod's steering controls. He fumbled with the buttons, but nothing registered. "L-Luddy, I need help."
Ludwig struggled with Cheatsy's hold on the wand. His body still weak from the Ember incident. Roy hobbled over and wrestled with the intruder. Ludwig slipped back and faced Larry. "Prime the engine, red button, upper left."
Larry did so. A low hum emanated through the pod. Cool air vented into the room. The buttons on his control pad illuminated. A window opened in front of Larry to reveal the metal walls of the lifeboat chamber.
Cheatsy pounded Roy's wounds and forced the larger koopaling to retreat. Ludwig grabbed Cheatsy by the throat and slammed him to the ground. He anchored his weight over the koopaling and squeezed.
"What next, what next?" Larry raised his finger over the control pad.
Kooky's face appeared in the window. The wild-haired koopaling grinned at his counterpart. He pressed his wand to the window and blasted the glass.
"Pull the plunger," Ludwig shouted.
"The...the what?"
"Looks like the thing that oof-" Ludwig gasped. Cheatsy dug his clawed toes into Ludwig's middle. The elder koopaling reached down and forced the offending limb away. "That switch you pull to launch a pinball."
Larry reached over and grabbed the green tipped plunger. He yanked it back. The pod lurched. A deep hissing noise surrounded them. A yoke unfolded in front of Larry.
Roy dropped into his seat and strapped in. He turned to Larry. "Buckle up kid."
Larry plopped into the pilot's seat and fixed the buckles over his body. The pod lurched again. Kooky's face disappeared from the window. The pod dropped into free fall.
Ludwig and Cheatsy slammed upwards and crashed into the ceiling. Larry grabbed the yoke, the pod's restraints held him in place.
Raindrops splashed the window. The clouds rushed past them. Larry's teeth grit.
Roy's heart pounded. His eyelids clenched shut. He drew a deep breath and counted out loud to the three. A scream brewed in his throat.
The pod's engines engaged and the craft's descent slowed. Larry steadied the yoke. His knuckles whitened.
Cheatsy dropped from the ceiling first. Ludwig followed. He landed on top of the smaller koopaling.
Larry winced at the thud. He tore his attention from the window. Ludwig rolled off of Larry's doppelganger and wrapped his arms around his stomach.
"Stars, did you kill him?" Larry gasped.
Cheatsy groaned.
Ludwig hoisted himself onto a seat and fumbled with the straps. "Don't...think so." Ludwig winced and rubbed his ribs.
"Talk about throwing your weight around." Larry grimaced at Cheatsy's limp body on the ground. The younger koopaling realized his faux pas.
"Sorry, I know, watch my mouth."
Ludwig stared at Larry, a slight smirk lit up his face. "You guys do wonders for my self-esteem." He looked over to Roy, the corners of his lips sagged.
Roy's hands squeezed his restraints. Sweat flopped over his bald head. His chest heaved.
"Roy are you-"
"I'm fine." Roy gasped. "Just land this damn thing. Carefully, please."
Larry turned his attention to the controls and puttered through the clouds. The wind rocked the pod. Roy flinched with the turbulence.
The two Maelstroms in the rear window shrunk at a gradual pace. Soon, they disappeared altogether. The storm raged on.