Chapter 6
Plum Player (Part 3)


Hanajima and Tohru escaped the castle, on time, as the castle was still standing. The Koopas, however, were stuck inside, before Bowser could come out. Tohru dusted herself off and said, "Thank you, Hanajima. Nice cape, by the way."

"It's a feather power-up I got," she said, "I can fly, like a superhero. However, this proves to be useful, when going airborne."

"Then, can it take me to iHyrule?" She asked.

Hana shook her head no, "No, I'm sorry. It has some sort of distance to go to. These power-ups are useful, but there are limits…"

"Like how long before you die?" Jo smiled.

Lightning chucked a hammer at Hanajima, hitting her chest.

POOF!

"NO!" Tohru shrieked.

"HAH! Too bad that you lost your powers, Electric Girl!" Jo jeered, "One more for the road… and it's game over."

Hanajima spoke, "What you are doing is wrong…"

"Oh, I suppose it is… But IN YO FACE!"

She threw a fireball at Hanajima, but she dodged out of the way, without getting hit. She then said, "Pathetic, Antagony. Is that all you got?" She said.

Tohru gasped, "Don't agitate her!"

Lightning snapped, "JO! Take that fool of a psychic! I got T-Honey! She cannot break through my Hammer Armor!"

Jo said, "Right. Make sure to keep her alive. I want to make Dark Goth Girl a Barbie-Q (barbeque)."

Hanajima signaled to her and smirked. She grabbed a small power-up and said, "I don't think so."

She held up a green boot. It was Kuribo's Shoe. She hopped in and said, "Tohru, run while you can!"

Lightning smiled, "FORGET T-HONEY! Lightning wants the Kicker! SHA-PUNT!"

Hanajima shouted, "GLADLY!"

STOMP!

Hanajima smiled, "Sha-stomp…"

No effect. Lightning crouched down into a shelled pose. As a Hammer Mario, when you crouch down, you are invincible from enemies, like Thwomps. Hana was shocked.

"No way!" She gasped.

He laughed, "Didn't hurt!"

Jo went to Tohru, as she called to Lightning, "She's all yours, Jock Strap."

Tohru nervously gasped, "Uh… Please don't get to closer…"

Jo smirked evilly, as she held up her fiery hand. She went closer to Tohru's face and said, "Come have a taste of fire, scarecrow! That's what you get for interfering with Chef and Chris's work! Allow me to end you!"

Tohru whimpered, as she slinked back, "No. Oh, no. Don't come closer. I…"

Jo was about to fire, but… Tohru slipped and fell into a warp pipe. Jo saw Tohru disappear into the black abyss, which leads to somewhere, since it's a pipe.

"Not again!" Jo cried, "Tohru better not die!"

She turned to Hana in Kuribo and said, "Oh, well. At least we still have you."

"Wanna bet?" Hanajima said.

She jumped up and said, "NO wild fires!"

STOMP! POOF!

Jo lost her fire powers. "NO! I'M POWERLESS!"

She snapped, "YOU STUPID SIZE TWENTY THOUSAND!"

"DIE!" Hanajima screeched, as she stomped on Jo again.

However, Lightning shoved her out of the way, and crouched again. Lightning survived again.

"That Hammer Suit. How did you do it?" She asked.

"Just passing by," he smiled, "Besides, these things are rare. So, don't bother!"

Hanajima removed Kuribo's Shoe and said, "Fine. Let's settle this… man-to-woman."

"Sha-please! Lightning can take a woman. You're in the midst of two dudes with attitudes!"

Jo shouted, "HEY, MORON! HAVE YOU ALREADY FORGOTTEN THAT I AM A GI-?"

Lightning shouted, "JO! Come on, BRO!"

Jo snuffed, "Fine… Hanajima has only one life to live. Soon, you'll join your fellow losers."

"You're the loser." Hanajima said.

He growled, "Fresh meat! SHA-BINGO!"

He chucked a hammer at her, but she caught it with her hand. She tossed it back to Lightning, but he ducked. Jo got lambasted by the hammer and died. However, she regenerated and was back in action.

"Oh, you're so dead!" Jo shouted, "Wise guy, eh?"

Lightning called, "Jo! Leave her to me, I said!"

He charged at Hanajima, using his suit as a football uniform, and tackled her down.

"SHA-BLAM! This is perfect for shoulder pads!" He cheered.

Hanajima groaned, "That hurt…"

He laughed, "You cannot best me. Lightning is invincible!"

He held a hammer up and smiled, "Been nice knowing ya! Sha-Hammer!"

The hammer flew up and was about to land on Hanajima. She was in pain, as the hammer almost landed. She rolled over and tried to get away. She was in pain, after Lightning's tackle.

"I… I can't move…" she moaned.

Lightning has Hanajima cornered. Jo watched on, enjoying the action.

"And this beats pushing Brick the Bed-Wetter to the limit," she smiled.

XXXXX

In a dark and dank sewer, Tohru was out cold, lying on the ground. As she was lying unconscious, to figures appeared in red and green plumber uniform, both with blue overalls. They picked up Tohru and carried her off.

"Okeydokey?" The green one asked.

"Mm-hmm," The red on replied.

Minutes later, Tohru was shackled on a wall, in chains, by the plumbers. The red one then smiled, with his mustache and rotund body. The plumbers were Mario and Luigi.

"Luigi!"

"Mario!" He held up a small chest.

Tohru woke up, as she saw the Mario Bros. in a meeting. She was shocked, seeing the plumbers talking.

"It… It can't be…" she thought, "Are they…"

Mario nodded and opened the chest, "Ah! Hmm…"

He saw Tohru and said, "Luigi, let's-a go."

Luigi said, "Just what we needed."

Mario approached Tohru and said, "Hello!"

"Oh, uh, hello…" she whimpered, "Uh, why am I here?"

Mario pointed at a tattered flier of Abobo and said that she needed to fight him, but she needed to be stronger. She was flattered by the help, but she couldn't move, after going through a battle with Jo and Lightning. Mario smiled and nodded. He then examined her wrist, which still had '2' on it. He nodded and said that she needed extra lives.

"Oh, but I don't need any, for now," she said.

"What a tasty treat," he said, "Oh, yeah!"

He siphoned the 1-UP Mushrooms from her and said, "Here we go!"

Tohru shook in fear and pain, but collapsed in a limp state.

"Uo… Hana…" she moaned, as she was weakening, "Help… me…"

Tohru died in the shackles.

GAME OVER

Mario shook his head, "Not for long…"

Luigi said, as he held up a Moon, "Look! I hope-a she likes this."

Mario smiled, "Luigi! Nice job!"

"Hah hah!"

"Give it to me."

"Okeydokey."

Luigi gave the moon to Mario, as he placed it on Tohru's limp body. The Moon fused into her, inside her chest.

3-UP!

Tohru was reawakened, with 3 lives in her. She opened her eyes and moaned, "Huh? Where am I?"

She gasped, "I'm still here?"

Mario nodded, "Mm-Hmm. Oh, yeah!"

Luigi said, "Mario! Did you give her the Moon?"

Mario said, "Yeah! Ha, ha, ha!"

"Moon?" Tohru asked.

Mario pointed at his wrist, signaling to her to look at hers. Tohru looked on her wrist and said, "Three… Three?!"

She cried, "What happened? The last thing I recall was that I died here."

Mario unshackled her and said, "Here you go!"

He then stated that Abobo is a dangerous creature. He and Luigi tried to bested him, along with Link, Pikachu, and other Video Game Heroes, who battled the monster, but all failed. He never died in battle.

"Oh. It's no wonder there was some sort of debate and promotions," she said.

Mario added that Abobo never bothers with 1-UP Mushrooms. He was too strong that he resorted to his secret weapon, a Power Glove. He would then celebrate, by launching a bloodbath, after winning his matches. Of course, he revives the spectators, after he grows bored. The Mario Brothers heard wind of Tohru's challenge, and had the posters set. Everyone heard of Tohru's challenge and postponed the train schedule, until someone wins. This happened, when a Koopa heard the news and passed it around to the others, the minute Tohru accepts loudly. But Luigi added that no one has ever left the Mushroom Kingdom and Abobo, alive.

"Oh… If I lose, I die, and I fail…" she sobbed, "But… But I cannot-."

"NO!" Mario shouted, "You can do it! That's a tasty treat!"

"You mean…"

Mario patted her back and said, "Here you go."

He fired a capsule at Tohru, only to rejuvenate her body, which was scratched and bruised.

"My… My body… It's…"

Mario let out a thumbs-up and said, "Hee, hee. You ready?"

Tohru said, "Thank you. But I kind of forgot why I-."

She gasped in fear, "OH, NO! HANA-CHAN!"

Mario gave her a leaf and turned her into Raccoon Tohru. He then said that she must run, and then jump, so she'll fly up to the warp pipe above.

She bowed and blushed, "Thanks for the instructions, but I can try. On the plus side, I sure do look cute in a raccoon tail and ears."

She dashed in circles, and then flew up. She flew back down and said "Thank you. I won't let you down."

Mario then gave her a pack of power-ups, which he said that it will be needed, during her battle with Abobo.

"One question: How did everybody know about me and Abobo?" she asked.

Mario said, "Bowser."

Tohru pulled out the Bowser Mask and said, "That item… Of course. He knew what he saw. This means…"

She dashed off and flew away. The Mario Brothers waved goodbye, as Tohru disappeared into the warp pipe, back to where Hanajima is, who is about to be killed. Will she make it, in time?

XXXXX

Lightning grabbed Hanajima and threw her down. He was about to finish her off.

"Sha-bye-bye, Electric Girl!" He laughed, as he fired.

But then, Tohru flew up and grabbed Hana out of the way. Lightning gasped, as Tohru slapped him with her tail. Lightning fell down, but regained his Hammer Suit.

"Tohru!" She said.

"Stay here," she said to her, and flew off to fight Lightning.

"Wait!" She called.

Lightning cried, "You! T-Honey is a Raccoon Girl, like the Yankee?"

Tohru snapped, "Don't call my friend a Yankee!"

She smiled, "Oh, wait… You mean Uo?"

Jo huffed, "Get on with it, you dimwit!"

Lightning fired a hammer at Tohru, "SHA-BANG!"

She dodged out of the way, and then flew at Lightning, slapping her tail around his face. She delivered a fierce kick at the stomach and shouted, "TOUCHDOWN!"

Lightning fell down again, losing his Hammer Suit. He groaned, "Jo… Little help here, bro."

Jo grabbed a power-up and smirked, "Fine. You leave me no choice, you rotten little raccoon."

She held up an orange mushroom and consumed it. She then growled, as she grew twenty feet tall.

Oh, no! The Mega Mushroom!

"It can make me invincible, but it can destroy everything in sight, including you!" She bellowed, as she was a giant.

Omusubi cried, "Tohru! You cannot fight her, like this!"

Tohru cringed, "She's… She's huge! I…"

Omusubi yelled, "RUN!"

Tohru ran off and flew away, as Jo chased after her, stamping around, destroying everything in her path. "You can run, but you cannot hide, Tohru Honda!"

Tohru screamed, "She's insane!"

WHAM!

She crashed into a tree and lost her Raccoon powers. Omusubi sighed, "Moron…"

She landed on the ground, and was out cold. Jo found her and was about to stomp on her.

Lightning screamed, "NO! Chef told us not to! We must take her, alive!"

Jo yelled, "EXACTLY! We'll kill her, revive her, tie her up, and make the delivery! Have you forgotten that she has a few lives in her, from her Koopa Assault? I follow my rules! I don't listen to McLean! I AM ANTAGONY!"

Hanajima ran to Tohru and shoved her out of the way. Tohru woke up and saw Hana. But…

STOMP!

Jo stomped on Hanajima. A sacrifice she made…

"NOOOOOOOOO!" Tohru screamed.

Jo laughed, as she was returned to her normal size. Hana's body was crushed and hurt, as Tohru was livid.

"What's wrong? Don't worry, you're next! I never intended on killing you…" she said, "Besides, you're doing the iHyrule job, alone. Sadly, you have NO ONE ELSE left!"

Tohru then growled, as she held up the Bowser Mask. She then wore it and said, "Yaju!"

She started to morph, into a Bowser-like monster, as Jo was shocked. She glowed in a black and red aura and grew the same size as Jo.

"NO!" Jo screamed, "It can't be!"

She laughed, "Well, no matter…"

She held up a Fire Flower and was about to obtain her powers. However, Tohru grabbed her and grasped onto her, taking her power-ups.

FAQ: According to "Mario Party 2", anybody who wears a Bowser Mask will run into a player and steal all of the player's coins.

"Uh, uh, uh…" Tohru snarled.

"Uh… Nice monster… Nice human girl, uh, monster… thingy…" Jo trembled in fear.

She tossed Jo into Lightning, losing a life, each.

YOU LOSE!

They regenerated, as they saw Tohru on a rampage. She roared, "THAT WAS FOR HANA-CHAN!"

Lightning shrieked, as Jo screamed, "RETREAT! RUN FOR IT, JOCK STRAP!"

Lightning yelled, "T-Honey has flipped!"

They ran off into a warp pipe, as Jo hollered, "THIS ISN'T OVER! AM I MORTIFIED?"

They escaped, as Tohru calmed down, losing her Bowser Power-up. She collapsed down and was in pain. She crawled to Hanajima, who was out cold. She held her tight and tried to wake her up.

"Hana? Hana?" She pleaded, "Please wake up! Hana!"

But she was too late.

GAME OVER

Tohru cried on her body, as Hanajima died, after what Giant Jo did. She cried.

However, a 1-UP Mushroom appeared and landed on Hanajima. She woke up, revived, and held Tohru. She said, "Tohru… Don't cry…"

"Hana?"

She hugged, as she smiled, "Hana!"

Uo spoke, "That was reckless of you two, right?"

"Uo?" Tohru asked.

Uotani, along with Motoko, Minami, Mai, and Mio, were standing with her.

"Sorry, Arisa," Hanajima said, "It really hurts. I feel bad about it."

Tohru said, "No! Hana, you saved my life… But something inside me started to grow angry, when you died."

Minami cried, "We missed it?"

Hanajima said, "I'll explain it to you, later. Right now… We have Tohru to worry about. She has to battle Abobo."

Mio said, "When is that?"

Koopas and Waddle Dees appear, with spears and guns, and called in chirps. They raised their arms up and surrendered.

"Uh, right now is fine?" Uo trembled.

Tohru smiled, "On the plus side, they're cute."


At Abobo's Stadium, Tohru was in her cell, wrapped with her arms in bandages, and is wearing a white shirt and blue shorts. Her badge appeared, out of nowhere, on her shirt.

"I see it happens," Omusubi said, "Don't worry. I think you can take it. Mario and Luigi gave you an upgrade."

"What about you?" Tohru asked.

"Oh, that. Your Beast Gene will be useful; but remember to use it, as a last resort. You almost acted like a raging gorilla."

"I know. I'll try to control it. If I die, four times, it's over."

"Abobo can defeat you, but… you have heart. You are like Rudy, but this match is not meaningless."

"Of course. After what happened with Hanajima, I felt like I am ready for this."

"Imagine… Imagine if your friends died, by that burly monster, from the Double Dragon… If you lose, everything you know will be gone… Uo, Hana, Kyo, Yuki, Kagura, Shigure…"

"HEY! WAIT! How do you know about them?"

"You'll know soon enough. Once you have obtained your second Congregated Control, we shall meet."

"And where's that?"

"You're next destination – Mobius. The train has been rerouted, since Abobo destroyed the tracks, during your capture by Bowser. After Mobius, then you make your delivery… and then, everything will be explained. Before Mobius, you can survive Abobo."

"Thank you. I hope to succeed. I wanted to learn about these worlds, since Uo and Hana are assisting me. I would be terrible if Yuki, Kyo, and the others got mixed into this drama."

"It'll be okay."

"By the way… Why do you stop, after we talk?"

Omusubi confessed, "You're the only one I can talk to. However, I know Hanajima, too much, before you do."

"Oh…" Tohru gasped, "So, you're her… uh… Wait. Who are you, really? Or, is that a secret, too?"

Omusubi giggled, "You'll see. For now, do us a favor and kick Abobo's ass! Of course, you got four chances… You can do it. I know it… Don't ask why, but-."

"No, I understand. I only would've known about it, sooner…"

Omusubi stopped, as a Koopa Guard appeared. It spoke that she is summoned to the arena. She bowed, as she was taken away. She was given her power-ups, just in case.

"I thought you were gonna confiscate them…" she said.

They ignored her and entered the arena, with a huge boxing ring, full of video game characters, in their cheerful routine. They had signs that says "Abobo is Grande!", "ABOBO!", "Abobo Rules", and "Another Lamb in the slaughter!". Abobo had adoring fans, but by force. Tohru then saw her friends, locked in a jail cell, over a huge lava pit.

"GUYS!" She cried.

She tried to get to them, but she was restrained by two Koopas.

"NO! LET ME GO! HANA! UO! HELP!" She pleaded.

She was thrown into the ring, as a Mario-type referee appeared, with a microphone.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! THIS is our Main Event of the Evening! Introducing the victim, er, challenger… weighing in tonight, at a bird-like 105 lbs., and standing at 5'2", she is the young girl that could do well, if any… Tohru Honda!"

The crowd booed, with a mix of cheers. Tohru waved in an awkward pose and thought, "Now I know how Prince Yuki felt. Uh, I mean Yuki! Oh, man… I'm so nervous…"

Omusubi whispered, "Just remember… Win and you survive."

The referee announced, "And making his way to the ring, with a record of ALL NINES and zero, weighing in at 325 lbs., and coming all the way from Parts Unknown, residing in the world of Video Games, the UNDISPUTED Champion of EVERYTHING! He is… The violent and blood shedding man, as big as a house… ABOBO!"

Abobo appeared, as the crowd booed continuously. He had dark skin, a mustache, a bald head, blue trunks, and a ripped-up body, with many muscle tones. He entered the ring, and was thrice as tall as Tohru. She was stammering in fear, as Abobo smirked at her. He let out a laugh, as Tohru was nervous.

"Tohru…" Hanajima prayed, "You can do this…"

"She's doomed," Motoko said.

Tohru looked at her meter. Not only she has her lives intact, but she has a power meter. She loses her health, she dies. However, has a maximum of three knockdowns, per round (Boxing rules). Tohru was nervous, as she had a mushroom in her pocket. She whispered, "It might come in handy."

What kind of Mushroom does she have? Will it be enough to survive against the huge Abobo?

However, she grabbed the microphone and called, "HOLD IT!"

She pleaded to Abobo, "I'll accept your challenge, but on one condition… I win, you free my friends, and everything in it. You win, do what you want…"

Uo shouted, "Tohru, no! You're being ridiculous!"

Abobo nodded, as the ref stated, "Agreed. If you lose, then your friends die, in the lake of fire, and there's no chance that they'll be back… You, however, will be in spirit, for facing Abobo. He's 9,999-0. He never loses. 10,000 wins means it's over for you… ALL OF YOU!"

Tohru nodded, "I understand. Abobo, it's an honor to fight you… but…"

She pleaded, "Go easy on me, since I'm gentle! Generally, I am a peacekeeper, but I never laid a finger on anybody!"

Omusubi whispered, "Gentle, my backside! What about against Antagony? And those Koopas?"

The match was about to begin.

The Ref snickered, "This is good. Abobo 10,000 is on the way!"

He then said, "Okay, this match can go to three rounds, but with knockdowns. If you die, you restart. However, you have to win, without any lives. NO holds barred, and power-ups are allowed. And remember, this is a fight to the death. Three knockdowns mean you lose. You die completely, you're disqualified. Any questions?"

The guy was shady, as he wanted to see Abobo win, always. He called out, "LET'S FIGHT!"

DING! ROUND 1!

Who will win? Can Tohru survive to rescue her friends? Find out in the conclusion of the Mushroom Kingdom arc…


To be continued…