I'm actually really proud of this chapter. This is where things start getting intense. And M-rated.
I once dreamed of owning these characters and watching them run around on my desk, but sadly, they belong to Nintendo.
Kamak was glad to finally take of the rough costume. The troops had lined up in Town Square, awaiting instruction. Kamak raised an eyebrow.
"You gave us away much too quickly." He spoke slowly and deliberately. "King Koopa will be sorely disappointed."
"Indeed he will be."
Every head turned in the direction of the familiar, gruff voice. Bowser, tall and menacing as ever, stood there with his arms crossed, scowling. He walked to the front of the group slowly. "There's gonna be some changes in the plan, so listen up! I want the Troopas, Goombas and Hammer Bros to go to the residential areas. Paras and Spike Tops, to the shops. As for the rest of you, I'll be with you in the castle. Leave the princess and that red nuisance for me, but kill anyone else that gets in your way. But first," he growled, glaring at every face. "tell me. Who gave us away?" His voice held a pleasant undertone, but even more malicious ones mixed in. "Speak up!"
The crowd was silent, too scared to even breath.
"Well," Bowser said quietly, but the soldiers caught every word. "nobody's going to come clean."
"It was him, King Koopa, sir!" A Paratroopa's voice rang out in the heavy silence. He pointed at a Hammer Bro, who was sweating profusely and keeping his head down.
"Hammer Bro, what's your name?"
"H-Hector K-K-Koopa, sir."
"Come here."
He hesitated, glued to the ground with terror, then letting his tense shoulders fall and walking slowly to the king. Bowser stared at him. "Would you be so kind as to tell me what you were thinking when you acted so rashly?"
"I was getting r-rid of him," Hector stuttered. "H-he was vermin, a-and close to the princess, a-and I thought it would b-be best i-if-"
In one swift movement, Bowser's clawed hand had struck the Hammer Bro on the head. The force of the blow sent him tumbling into a street lamp, which he collided head-on with. He fell to the ground, and the crowd recoiled when a puddle of blood oozed out from under his unmoving body.
"Let this be a lesson to the rest of you!" Bowser shouted. "We have entered war! This is what happens to weaklings who do not follow orders! This is what will happen to all of you if you set one toe out of line! And trust me," Bowser let his voice drop. "I will find out."
Silence rang in every Koopa's ears. Even Kamak was intimidated.
"You know the plan. Go."
"You have to hide." Mario grabbed Peach's hand and directed her through the castle.
"Are you nuts?" Peach screamed, wrenching her hand out of his grip.
"It's you they're after!" Mario insisted.
"Bowser wants to kill you!"
At that moment, Luigi and Daisy came rushing through the doorway, each extremely panicked. Luigi looked as if he might faint. "We're going to die!" Luigi shouted, staring at the shaking castle doors.
"We're not going to die!" Daisy yelled back.
"We need people to fight!" Mario said above the loud noise.
"I'm fighting," Luigi responded, straightening his posture a little bit.
"I'm going to Sarasaland to gather allies," Daisy said, clenching her fists.
"Wait." Mario took Peach's hand. "Come with me. You guys go ahead."
"Mario, I'm staying and fighting with-" But Mario had already started walking, over to the dungeon doors, down the stairs. The cool, underground air engulfed them, and their faces became silhouettes.
"Peach-"
"Mario," Peach interrupted before he could get a word out. "I understand. I know you have my best interest at heart, but this is my kingdom. I want to fight. It's my duty as a ruler."
"I knew you were going to say that." His voice was so lifeless compared to her anxious squeaking. "I'm sorry."
"For what?"
In the pitch blackness, she felt his hands take hers. "You know what for."
"That's just like you, to take credit for everything."
"Yeah, I guess so." They had been subconsciously leaning forward the whole time, and their lips met. This kiss was unlike any other their had shared, for it had the sense of foreboding that it could be their last. They never wanted the moment to end, they wanted the world to go away...
Eventually, the world came back in the form of a jarring blow to the castle that could only be enemy troops. They broke apart. "Stay here," Mario insisted.
"No, I-"
"Please," he pleaded.
Her shoulders sagged. "For a while."
Mario gave her a quick hug, and, as Peach's eyes had adjusted somewhat, she saw his shadow tip his hat in a flamboyant manner. She laughed as he ran up the stairs, and slid into a sitting position. Resting her head in her hand, she waited.
The Transport Room was a room in the castle not many people knew about, but it was often how Daisy arrived from Sarasaland, or, in this case, went back. She leaned against the blue warp pipe, Luigi standing next to her.
"Well... Goodbye," Luigi muttered, half raising his hand. He didn't know why Daisy still made him so nervous. He had known her for so long.
"Shut up, you know I'm coming back as soon as I can," Daisy replied, trying to look at him as little as possible.
Luigi sighed and shoved his hands in his pockets. Why couldn't he think of any good lines? "Daisy-"
Daisy took his face in her hands and kissed him. Luigi was momentarily stunned, but returned it with just as much enthusiasm. Daisy whispered in his ear, "You know I love you, right?"
"I love you Daisy," he said back, holding her close.
"Neither of us are going to die. And once we're through with this, I'm going to marry you."
Luigi smiled. "There's my motivation."
Daisy chuckled and pulled away. She waved one last time and jumped into the pipe. Luigi stared after her, feeling as if he were floating. The waiting soldiers that wouldn't hesitate to kill him all seemed far, far away, like he was in a different lifetime.
A hand on his shoulder brought him back to reality. Mario stood there. "Daisy's gone?"
Luigi nodded, glancing at him and smiling widely. "I think everything's going to turn out fine."
"Is that why you're crying?"
"Yeah, I guess so."
Mario sighed. "Well, this is it, I guess."
"Do you ever think of what our lives would've been like if we'd stayed in Brooklyn?"
"All the time, but this isn't the time for that. Right now, we have to be strong. And lucky," Mario added.
"The very definition of a New Yorker," Luigi said triumphantly, punching the air.
"Well, we have a chance now, I guess." They walked to the wooden doors and, fearing the worst but not as scared as they had been, pushed them open.
The town square was in chaos. Koopa Troopas of every size, shape, and species ran ramped, attacking Mushroomers and setting fire to buildings. Rubble lay all over the ground, blood splattered the walls. What surprised them was the castle.
Its white marble, once so magnificent, was stained with soot and dirt. Huge sections of stone were missing from the top altogether, and they could see Peach's bedroom from where they stood. The once proud Mushroom Kingdom flag was missing, the flag pole bent and dented, and Luigi felt a strange sorrow when he saw it torn in three pieces at his feet.
It was not long before someone cried, "It's the Mario brothers!" In an instant, it seemed as if the whole army was on top of them, some brandishing weapons and others using to use their fists. Mario and Luigi punched and kicked, but there were too many swarming around, forcing them into the rough stone ground-
It all came to an abrupt halt when a cross between a bang and a pop somehow forced everyone away. When they looked toward the source, Kamak Magikoopa stood there, holding up his wand. "I beleive there was specific instructions to leave the red one for the king?" He walked closer, and though they could not see his eyes from behind his thick glasses, they knew he was looking at Luigi. "You, however, I got no such orders." He pointed his wand right between his eyes and smirked.
Peach was getting tired of waiting. She sighed and, for what seemed like the hundredth time, traced the patterns of the cracks in the stone walls. She stood up, and said to herself, "I'm going. I don't care what anyone says."
"Headstrong as always."
The very blood in her veins froze. There was no mistaking that voice. "What do you want?"
"I think you know exactly what I want."
