PHASE 6
Apprentice Rising
(Daytime. The Plane Group are in Yoshi's Village. Toadbert is making deals with the Yoshi's to build a boat.)
Celistar: So we destroyed a famous airship, and lost Toadsworth so that we could look at some dead Yoshi?
Peach: Toadsworth…is…in…a…better…place.
Toad 1: It wasn't just some dead Yoshi. It was the Yoshi Chief! Be respectful, Celistar!
Celistar: But Toadsworth-
Toadbert: The Yoshi's have agreed to let us use one of their boats. And they've given me instructions to the Coast, where it's located.
Peach: Wait…I…forgot…my…ring.
Toad 3: Please come back soon, Princess. There's something unsettling about the island…
(Peach runs into hut)
(A crashing sound occurs, and a shriek. Suddenly, the Apprentice leaps out, with his wand straight to Peach's neck. She is knocked out, and the Apprentice is roughly dragging her.)
Apprentice: Get back! All of you! I see your creeping! Now then, I'm taking your queen into the forest. You will not be able to move for 10 minutes. After the time is over, the chase begins. I like games, so I'll give you a hint: I'll be going in a straight line. That's right. Just follow my line. And you'll find the queen. Now then, Good Bye.
(Apprentice disappears into forest. The four Toads and Celistar stand shocked)
Toad 2: Oh nooo! What are we going to do?
Toad 3: He'll kill her! He'll kill her!
Celistar: No…I can't let that happen. No…I WON'T let that happen. I'm going after her.
Toad 3: But…he'll kill you too! And then the royal line will be gone!
Celistar: (Quietly) I can't let her be killed. I'm going. Right now.
Toadbert: But what if-
(Looks to see that Celistar is already gone. Toad 3 panics, but they follow her. Scene switches to the Apprentice running through the forest. He knows that he is luring the rest after him. Back, far away, Celistar is jumping over braches and through trees. And further behind her, the Toads are desperately scrambling through the forest. Finally, Celistar arrives in a giant, cut out part of forest, with a shovel in the center. With mysterious speed, the Toad's quickly catch up to her, gasping loudly.)
Toad 1: When…did…you learn…to…run…so fast?
Celistar: A little practice.
Toad 3: But-
(The Apprentice's voice rises out of the ground, as if from an Intercom)
Apprentice: I'm glad you've made it to the game. Now, I have nothing against you, but my life is at stake, and I'd like to play a game. Haeh heh heh. I am currently underground, hiding in a small hole, and I have the princess with me. Around me are 15 Monty Moles. Each of them have a deadly surprise for you. If you dig over them, instead of me, they will leap up, and snap your head back, breaking your spine. Don't try to hold your head back. They are also trained to fight. There is nothing else. If you find me, then you can do what you want. Have FUN!
(Pause)
Toad 3: This…this won't work. We…we'll have to leave the Queen…
Celistar: No…but…
Toad 2: What could we possibly do?
Celistar: We…have to dig.
Toadbert: Are you insane? You'll…you'll…
Celistar: I'll…have to try.
(A short memory of Penter occurs)
Penter: As a Master of Destiny- You will have a talent for incredible luck. Our meeting will be the next time we find each other-just the right time. And you must always remember…There is luck to this, not just skill and power. You will see…you will see…
(Back to reality)
Celistar: Even if he is nuts…I still have to try.
Toad 1: What are you-HEY!
(Celistar has started to dig)
Toad 3: No-! No-! Stop! Stop!
Celistar: You guys better run. If I mess up…that mole will hunt you down.
(As the Toads back away in terror, Celistar's shovel suddenly slices downward, like through air. Celistar leaps back, just as the Apprentice leaps up, knives in hand. He lands where Celistar was standing when she dug, and gets into a battle position.)
Apprentice: Queenie's still in the pit. But it won't matter. After I kill you…I'll kill her, and…COUGH COUGH…excuse me. I'm being rather…grisly, aren't I?
(Celistar stands shocked)
Apprentice: Heh heh. Usually, I'm quite a formal Koopa…but…due to the circumstances and situation; I'm getting rather NERVOUS about everything. But…I'm afraid that Bowser has given me the orders to end your lives. So…I can almost truthfully say I'm sorry…if you weren't MARIO'S DAUGHTER!
(Apprentice leaps at Celistar. She falls on her back, with the Apprentice standing over her. As Celistar starts to roll by instinct, the Apprentice throws a knife where she was, leaving him with one. As he attempts to reach the knife, Celistar leaps up kicks him onto his back, on the ground. The second knife he is holding goes flying into the forest, where a cry sounds from. Celistar quickly grabs the knife on the ground, but the Apprentice still has a wand, which he uses to knock the knife from Celistar's hand. It disappears. The Apprentice leaps up, leaving Celistar without a weapon and the Apprentice with his wand)
Apprentice: So, Sellytar, it looks like your one weapon short. What are you going to do now?
Toad 1: Celistar! Selly!
(Celistar whips around, and sees Toad 1 holding a knife. He throws it to her)
Toad 1: Er…Celistar…maybe we underestimated you…please…save the queen…
(He disappears, and Celistar is forced to faced the Apprentice by herself)
Apprentice: This…this won't make a difference…this won't…
(Suddenly, the Apprentice's face distorts to panic, he steps back)
Apprentice: Oh no…why did I have to have THAT kind of knife?
Celistar: …What?
(Apprentice continues to step back, looking like he's preparing something)
Celistar: (Quietly to herself) I have to throw the knife…he's getting too far away…no…I could grab mom and run…but no…he's about to launch something…I…I…
(She quickly throws the knife at the exact time that the Apprentice launches a spell. He sees the knife coming, and shrieks "NO!" but the spell is already going, and when the knife hits it, it is absorbed into the knife, causing the wand to shatter into pieces of wood. The Apprentice panics and jumps back at an angle near where the Toads are hiding.)
Apprentice: You…you…how…how did you know?!
Celistar: It was…luck. Just plain luck.
Apprentice: Arrgghhhh! I'll, I'll… (He steps back) This isn't over…Bowser won't let it be…I…
(The Apprentice starts to run away. Celistar pauses, and then turns around and drags Peach out of the pit. As she is checking if Peach is okay, a loud cry comes from behind. The Apprentice has grabbed Toadbert, and is escaping with him.)
Apprentice: This is only the beginning, Princess! This world is evil…and everyone in it. I'm only the introduction to the true terror! Ha hah hah ha!
(Soon, the Apprentice's voice fades away, and Celistar stands shocked. A short rumbling occurs, to which Celistar includes is the digging of the Monty Moles, underground, leaving the scene. The other three Toad's come back into the clearing. Toad 3 is crying.)
Toad 3: He's-He's-He's taken Toadbert!
Toad 1: A brave effort Celistar…even more then that. You have saved Queen Peach, but…Toadbert…
(An uncomfortable silence occurs, and after a few moments, Peach wakes up mumbling)
Peach: I…can't…find…my…ring…?
(The entire screen goes dark, to which the mysterious, wheezing voice from Bowser's Castle comes in)
?: COUGH HACK HOFF. The darkness…I love how it creeps into my soul…how it demands me to take what I get. The darkness…it occurs everywhere. No matter what they think…there is darkness in everything…darkness…COUGH HACK HOFF…it's beautiful…and so ugly…COUGH HACK HOFF…
BEGINNING OF TOADBERT SAGA