A Wolf in Mario's Clothing
Chapter 6
Completed: 3/13/17
Disclaimer: Mario and Co. belong to Nintendo, "Danger Zone" to Kenny Loggins, "Under Pressure" to Queen.
Author note: Remember this changes the story of Chapter 4 slightly.
Ding!
Ding!
Ding!
The reverberation shook the walls, and the those hearing it to their very core. After three rings, silence.
For a movement Mario's partners stood frozen in disbelief.
"Was...was that the-!" Goombella started.
"The BELL!" Hotdog and Koops shouted in unison.
"Mario's antics totally made me forget about the piggy problem," Goombella said. "You don't think-"
"Oink, oink, oink," a pig standing next to Koopa said in protest. Koops looked horrified.
"W-wait, wasn't Madam Flurrie just right-"
"Ohmigosh they got Flurrie!" Gooombella screamed.
"Why is this bell ringing again anyway?!" Koops asked in hysterics. "We need Mario!"
"But Mario is a nut job right now," Hotdog said. "Who else are we gonna call? Luigi?"
"Who?" Goombella and Koops asked.
"Oh I don't know. Actually I don't know how I've even heard of him before. Forget I said that!"
CRASH!
A sports car crashed through the front wall with a pig in the drivers seat. It oinked in a panic.
"Ah! The guy I traded the car to!" Hotdog shouted.
"Ohmigosh ohmigosh we might be the last ones left!"
Doopliss rung the bell furiously. This was the only way out now. Forget the games, forget the madness, just transform everyone around and get out!
He had sped away to his abode right after the Shadow Siren run in and was in his rightful place but not in his rightful body.
"Crap. I'm still this loser Mario slick and- wait! Who took my bird?!"
"Hello?" Mario greeted the crying figure.
The person sniffled and looked up to Mario. It was Vivian of the Shadow Sirens. Mario knew full and well who she was but he saw no hint of recognition in her face.
"W-who are you?" Vivian asked cautiously.
"It's-a me, I mean uh, could-a you help me out?"
"It's-a me, Mario! Squawk! " the bird tattled.
"Umm, well there goes-a my disguise," Mario shrugged.
"Mario? But we just met!"
"Oh...really? Where'd I go?"
"You called yourself Doopliss and then...wait...that wasn't you was it? Doopliss stole your body!"
Mario nodded, he knew Vivian was sharp but he was still surprised how quickly she put it all together. Vivian was taken back at the realization.
"Umm, I think I'm supposed I destroy you but...why should I? My sisters treat me like dirt and you and your friends don't really deserve this..."
"Hey-a why don't you join us-"
"-And together rule the world! Squawk!" the bird interrupted.
"No," Mario said as he put the cover back on the bird cage. "If-a you don't want to be evil. You don't have to!"
"You mean, I can change sides? Just like that?"
"Sure, why not?"
Vivian thought for a moment. "Okay. I don't want to be evil anymore. I've always dreamed of being a hero anyway. Can I join your team?"
"Sure. By the way, Doopliss stole my friends when he stole my body so we'll have to find them and that-a kind of sucks!"
"Fine by me. By the way, my sister planted a bomb in this town that we lost and I have to find, so that kind of sucks too."
"We're-a gonna make a great team!" Mario said. Vivian laughed and blushed but then-
Ding!
Ding!
Ding!
Mario knew exactly what that meant...
"Eww, gross Flurrie! Can you even understand me?" Hotdog fussed. He was in charge of "keeping the pig" as the team trek back to Creepy Steeple. Flurrie in her pig form was unfortunately just as sassy as ever and had kicked mud in a Hotdogs face twice already.
"Stop complaining, gosh!" Goombella said. "We just have to head back and shut up this bell once and for all."
"How are we going to do this again?" Koops asked.
"I...haven't thought if anything yet. But the bell can't ring itself so if we're there we might find the assailant."
"Wait, we want to find him?!"
"Yes! It's a one way path so we're guaranteed to intercept, gosh you stop complaining too!"
The stress of being the "leader" was getting to Goombella and she was definitely respecting Mario more for the role he normally played. The path to Creepy Steeple was dark and cold, but they were almost there.
"Oink oink oink!" Flurrie said, disturbed by something ahead.
"What now?" Hotdog grumbled.
"Amazy Dayzee!" Koops shouted, pointing ahead. The gang couldn't out maneuver it to avoid confrontation.
The titular flower stood and proudly showed off its glistening golden pedals, dark leather jacket, 'bishie sparkle' and... 80's sunglasses?
"Revvin' up your engine.
Listen to her howlin' roar," the Amazy Dayzee started to sing.
"Oh no," Goombella whispered to the rest, "It says here in the tattle log that they all have a genre and this ones is...wow I am sooo totally sleepy like, gosh darn...zzzzz!"
"Metal under tension.
Beggin' you to touch and go," it continued.
"Me too," Koops yawned. "I feel like I could be home right now in my nice warm...zzzzzz!"
"Highway to the danger zone.
Ride into the danger zone."
"Oh no, I normally love this song but now I feel...zzzzz." Hotdog fell over, releasing the leash that held Flurrie.
"Oink oink oink!" she said as she rapidly approached the singing flower fiend.
"Headin' into twilight.
Spreadin' out her wings tonight.
She got you jumpin'- hey OWWOWOW! Let go you pig!"
Flurrie bit into the arm of the leathery jacket with all her might. The Dayzee jerked away but could get its arm out of her surprisingly sharp piggy teeth.
"Pressure pushing down on me," the Dayzee sang in an attempt to put the pig to rest and stay situationally relevant at the same time.
"Pressing down on- okay okay. I give! Ahhh!" The Dayzee ran from the "battle" leaving Flurrie with no experience points. It was okay though, she's just a pig.
As soon as the hypnotic influence of the Dayzee was gone, the slumbering partners started to wake up. Goombella awoke first to see Flurrie standing proudly over a shredded leather jacket.
"Flurrie..d-did you?"
"Oink," was her reply.
"Gosh darn, this is a day!"
"I got it!" Mario called as held up the Superbombbomb. Vivian flushed.
"Mario, thank you so much!"
"Squawk! Kiss already!" the bird said. Mario ignored it.
"Don't-a mention it. We'd better hang on this. After all you-a never know when you'll need a-" Mario stopped to read the fine print on the bomb, "Apocalyptic Mass Extermination Device?..." Mario frowned.
"Uh, Mario," Vivian said quickly, "The bomb has power settings. That's the max setting but it can make normal less apocalyptic mass extermination explosions too!"
"Oh well that's good too. Now let's-a go and stop that bell!"
"Isn't that in the Creepy Steeple?"
"Yes. It's-a alright. Thanks to you I know the name of the guy that's-a running around as me. One guy can only cause so much-a trouble though!"
They laughed as they exited the city gates.
To be continued ...