Turning up the Heat

"And we're in!" Mario exclaimed as he emerged from a pipe in the lowest cellar of Castle Toadstool.

"That's awesome Mario but we need to keep it down" Luigi said as he popped out of the pipe.

"Oh yeah, of course."

The Mario Bros walked swiftly but quietly down the pipe lined passage. This was the hub of the castle's plumbing systems and hardly anyone came down here. The pipe they had just employed to reach this area was enchanted to allow only authorized entry which could explain why the Bros found no opposition…at first.

They reached a locked door leading to the upper floors but that was no trouble. Mario rummaged in his pockets for a moment and retrieved his official plumber's key. They walked up a short flight of stairs to another sub basement and almost had their noses singed off.

"Mama mia" Luigi exclaimed as jet of fire passed within inches of his face.

"The place is booby trapped" Mario added

The hall ahead of them was indeed filled with various forms of fire traps. The wall jets in front of them were shooting off at odd times making progression a little tricky. Mario was absorbed in analyzing the flame shooters for a patter and was suddenly yanked backwards by Luigi.

"Woah! What was that for?"

"You almost burned a few calories there while you were busy thinking. Might be time to take care of that belly, bro."

"Fine! When this is all over, I'll go on a diet."

"Good"

They watched carefully for a moment more and Mario said "Now!"

They made a mad dash, jumped over a few jets of fire, and were arrived safely on the other side of that particular trap. Just a few feet away from them, a bar of fire was circling on the floor and taking up the whole path. The fire rose above the actual bar meaning that simply stepping over wouldn't do.

"Time for more jumping" Luigi commented

"Just like a game of jump rope"

"Only with the chance of burning of your, er, feet."

"Stop focusing on the negatives."

"I'll try. Here I'll even go first; my long legs will make it easy."

Mario bristled slightly at the implied height joke but Luigi was already on the other side of the spinning fire. The flame bar suddenly sped up and reversed direction and Mario's boots were a bit blackened.

"Are you ok Mario?"

"Yeah, toes are a bit warm but I'm fine."

"These traps are tricky."

"Nothing we can't handle" Mario said during a well timed leap. The flame bar again reversed and increased speed but that was nothing to the bros. They walked a little further and had to stop abruptly because a wall of flame flared up to block their path. They froze in place but the wall dropped after only a few seconds. They stepped forward…only to immediately jump back as it rose up again.

"This could be a problem" Luigi said

"It won't be if we're quick" Mario replied

They looked at each other and nodded. The very instant the wall of fire dropped down they ran forward and found themselves dodging fireballs from the walls and floors.

"I've heard of dodge ball but never dodge fireball" Luigi joked

"This Bowser seems to like adding fire to everything including castle cellar corridors."

"Hey Mario do you think your fire powers will help here?"

"Why would more fire help?"

"They say you should fight fire with fire."

"That has never made any sense. It's like being a fire fighter and saying 'Oh there's a fire. Let's fight it by adding more!'"

"Ok I…hey, we're past the dodge ball court."

"Oh yeah we are" Mario said while only just now realizing they'd already left the fireballs behind them.

They turned up the staircase that they knew was the most direct path up to the castle proper. After a few seconds of running they realized that they weren't going anywhere. While Luigi simply ran faster, Mario looked down and noticed that the stairs were moving and carrying them backwards. He leapt forward and landed on the top stair. He was immediately carried downwards but another jump put him on solid ground. Luigi was distracted by these antics and lost his balance ultimately landing him back at the bottom.

"You ok Luigi?"

"Just my dignity is a bit sprained."

"Ok so nothing is hurt."

Luigi popped up, took a calming breath, and jumped his way up the stairs like Mario had done. He then flicked Mario's hat down over his eyes and kept walking. Mario straightened his hat and jogged to catch up with his brother. They marched in dignified silence until another wall of fire barred their path. They simply waited in silence and jumped forward when the wall feel. The bros then panicked and began jumping wildly as a spinning flame bar appeared below them and another wall of fire rose up blocking their path forward.

"This is very much not good" Mario cried out as the spinning bar kept speeding up every time they jumped over it

"I second the motion" Luigi shrieked as his boots caught fire

"Now!" Mario screamed as he shoved Luigi forward as soon as he saw a free moment. They landed in a heap and immediately jumped up. Mario began frantically stomping on Luigi's boots and soon at them out.

"Thanks Mario" Luigi said as cold sweat continued to pour down his face "A bit painful but a fine rescue on the whole."

"Anytime bro"

"Hey is it getting hot in here?"

"Well there is a lot of fire about. Let's just keep going."

They rushed ahead while dodging a few more flame bars and fire balls. They turned a corner and their eyes bulged. The floor of the corridor ahead of them had been replaced by lava. Fireballs were bouncing out of the lava at different speeds and heights while stone platforms moved back and forth across the passage.

"This is getting crazy!" Mario cried out "This Bowser is just plain paranoid!"

"Yeah, one would think so. I guess he thought like we did and realized the lower levels were a weak point."

"Then why are there no guards?"

"Why are they needed? We've almost been cooked several times already!"

"Good point. Well this is the best way to go to reach the castle itself so…"

Luigi gulped and said "Let's do this."

A small platform was floating toward them and they jumped onto it. It stayed afloat and they were carried across the lava. Sweat poured and the bros began to breathe heavily.

"I don't think I like lava very much" Luigi commented

"Jumping fireballs aren't fun either" Mario said as he pointed the obstacle between them and the next platform.

"Too late to jump, we're already moving backwards again."

"Just be patient" Mario advised "The timing will sync up eventually.

Luigi secretly hoped that the princess could afford for them to be patient but he didn't say anything out loud because he feared Mario would take unnecessary risks. Indeed, the timing was better this go around and they jumped to the next platform. They continued this hot, slow game until they finally felt solid stone under their feet again.

"Please tell me we're almost there" Luigi panted as he wrung sweat from his handkerchief.

"You know we are little brother. One more flight of stairs and we're on the ground floor."

Said staircase was covered in fireballs flying fast and furious from the walls. It appeared that there was no way good timing was going to help this time.

"What now Mario?"

"If we can't go on foot, we'll go on our bellies."

Luigi watched as Mario dropped to the floor and began to crawl commando style towards the first step. He moved carefully and slowly but the fire (barely) passed safely over him. Luigi gulped again but imitated his brother.

"Don't stick your butt in the air" Mario commented as he glanced back

"I'm not."

"Ok but don't blame me when your pants are on fire."

Luigi frowned but adjusted his position. Together they made their awkward but uncooked way up the stairs and very carefully stood up.

"Piece of cake" Mario said as he opened the door and entered the castle's vast entrance hall. "Now to find Princess Peach."

"She's mine!" a deep voice roared. The Mario Bros looked up to see a huge monster standing at the top of the grand staircase. He was like a Koopa on serious steroids with nasty spikes on his shell that looked as sharp as his horns. "I am Boswer the Koopa King and you are trespassing in my castle!"


Aaaannnddd...cliffhanger! They do seem to be my style don't they? lol Anyway, I just figured the Koopa King deserved his own chapter and I hope to give you that chapter soon.