Glitzville
There is in this world many kingdoms and fiefdoms, big cities, towns, villages, and at least one empire to the west. But there was another place that was harder to define and draw boarders. The misnomer-titled Sky Land. The area high above the ground-based inhabitants. The most well known place is, of course, Glitzville. Over Vibe Island you have Giddy Sky at this level. There's the mysterious Honeycomb Skyway, Cloud Castle and Nimbus Land. Some say there's a giant Sand Bird that rules this level to the south, and if you go even further there's tales of a Sky Garden over the untamed countries. Glitzville was on the lower end of the spectrum, but it had a view of the Skyward Stalk to the north. What wasn't visible from here was the stalk beginning to bend and twist out, as if hitting some invisible barrier. She knew this because they had put a race track on it. The kart fever of years past had expressed itself in increasingly volatile and dangerous situations. One day the stalk would come down, and take out a third of the continents populace and infrastructure with it. Bowsette made a mental note to find a solution for that problem in the future.
Then you had the assorted floating structures, castles, fortresses and derelict airships. Slightly higher but but still below the top of the Skyward Stalk was the Star-Crossed Skyway, then beyond the stalk was the Star Realm. The rainbow road hanging in the heavens like a crown of colors. Home of the Star-Crossed Skyway, the Star Road, and other places that invariably had star in their name somewhere. The inhabitants of the higher realms were known for their architecture and magic-based technology, not for creative nomenclature. And here shining in the sky like an explosion of neon was Glitzville, the only entertainment themed establishment in Sky Land. Bowsette was leaning on the barrier surrounding the floating island, watching the sunset, thinking about all this. The Sky Land was an important piece of the pie. In a game where the high ground wins, the one that controlled the sky would be hard to overthrow. And it would serve as a stepping stone to the Star Realm...
"Enchanting sight, is it not, Star Child?"
"What?" Bowsette asked, not turning around. He would continue regardless.
"The vision granted us by this marvel of technology, of course. Built by lakitu and koopa paratoopas. Once the had the base built the koops would climb Bean Stalks to get to work. Too high for those types to fly, you know. But if they slip they could flutter down enough to grab the stalks. Quite harrowing I must say. I used to sit at the train station watching them build this, until I was asked to stop. You nod off one time in public and suddenly you're a nuisance. A wizard nuisance, can you imagine such a thing? Ha! Boggles the mind."
"I can kinda imagine that." Bowsette replied dryly.
"Well you are quite imaginative, my dear. Very few things you couldn't, eh, ponder I rightly expect." He paused. "Your order was called by the way."
"Arrggghh." She growled, "Why didn't you lead with that?"
"And spoil such a divinely rewarded scenery? Never! Not by my mustache, nor its eleven hundred whiskers. The moment must be lived, and seen, and lived some more until each and every..." He kept going but Bowsette ignored him for the hot dog stand operator, one Mr Hoggle by name tag. The menu had listed hot dogs, fat dogs, Southern Fried Egg Dog of Tastiness, and something called a Tongue Blistering Fat Dog. Bowsette had been intrigued, and also starved for something with meat.
"You be careful with that, ma'me, oink. Its terribly spicy oink. Some people can't handle the burn." He warned her. He seemed alright as service industry workers go, but she kinda missed the super friendly Peeka, and Podley's old-man charm. Mr Hoggle just seemed like he wanted to shut down for the day. Thoughts of potential bean stalk disasters, Sky Land ambitions and the majesty of the sunset were blown out of her mind with the first bite. Something about being mostly human brought new sensations. The juices and sauce made tears leak from her eyes, and her throat burn in a way fire breath didn't, and yet she couldn't stop eating. By the time she was done her lips were numb and it hurt to breathe, but she was also extremely satisfied.
"That was the greatest meal of my life!" She burped a fireball. "S'cuse me. Wow."
"Thank you, ma'me it warms my heart to see someone enjoy my food oink." Mr Hoggle looked a little more present now. Even Merlon's eyes were glowing big in his hood.
"Princess Explosion, I have failed you as a companion, for that sight should have been committed to history via song and play. Never in my life have I felt fear at the vision of someone eating a sandwich, yet here my heart rattles unsteadily within me. You desolated that with the ferocity of a Prehistoric Tyrant! So savage, yet so engrossing. i tried to look away but I stood transfixed." A quill and book appeared from within his sleeves and he started scribbling furiously. "Please, Mr Hoggle, describe the situation while its fresh!. I must have posterity."
"It was like having a nightmare, oink, but from the outside."
"Poetry!" Merlon declared wildly.
"Hey, whiskers." Bowsette snapped her fingers between his face and the open book. "Where to next. We're here because of your spirits."
"Foolish mortal, you do not demand of the spirits! They speak not when compelled, but when compelling! In whispers and riddles and secret... things!"
"Merlon, do wizards fly by any chance?"
"Eh, the spirits... are speaking to meeeee! We must go to... uh... the juice bar!" Merlon sputtered.
Fresh Juice Bar was shockingly similar to Podley's Place, just with different types of stains, and it was much brighter lit, in the aggressive colorful style of Glitzville. The bigger shock was Podley standing behind the counter.
"Podley? How the heck did you get here before us? You got a secret elevator?"
"Names Podler. Podley's my brother. We share a strong family resemblance." In reality they looked exactly the same, down to the same clothes. "Evening. Get you folks a cup of the good juice?"
"Actually we're here to meet... someone. A wandering master type. Apparently." She glared at Merlon who pretended to not notice.
"You checked the Glitz Pit? Folks don't come all the way up here for juice."
Shadow Guy didn't like Glitzville. It was too bright. Too colorful. Too... Glitzville, for his tastes. It made hiding in the shadows especially hard with the noticeable lack of shadows. But he had to keep an eye on Lord Bowser. The crown had done something to him, and now he was acting out of sorts, and for whatever reason the castle staff were just going with it! Some of them actually seemed to believe he was dead. It was up to him to save his king from this absurd curse.
X X X
The Glitz Pit was somehow everything Glitzville and nothing Glitzville. It was screamingly bright, and an obvious tourist trap, but it also smelled a little bit like a locker room, and dirt. It was also extremely crowded with tourists. "What does this wandering master look like?" Bowsette asked over the murmur of the crowd. Merlon had gotten separated from her somehow.
"WELCOME TO AMATEUR NIGHT AT THE GLITZ PIT!" A woman's voice boomed from speakers hanging from the ceiling. "Tonight we have an incredible match-up. MASTER MANTIS stepping into the SQUARED CIRCLE but who can face this MAESTRO of the MARTIAL ARTS?" The crowed chattered louder and applauded. Whoever was on the loud speakers was an old hand at whipping up a crowd. "HERE HE COMES! The BIGGEST of the BIG BADS and the REINING ENTRY LEVEL CHAMP, DON BONGOOOOOO!" If the crowd was stirred before now it was going crazy.
Bowsette pushed herself closer to the front to get a look at this Master Mantis, and the floor began to tremble. The wandering master was human, wore a purple robe and either gray earphones, or earmuffs. Hard to tell from the distance. His prominent red nose told a story of enjoying 'the good stuff' as Podler wmight say. His opponent looked like a dinosaur balloon stuffed with jelly, its belly button protruding outward like a basketball. "TRY TO DODGE MY BOUNCING BLUBBER. JUST DON'T HIT MY LIPS OF RUBBER! The goofy-looking monster bellowed. His arsenal of attacks seemed largely based on stomping, or squishing his opponent with his belly. He wasn't very fast, but Master mantis was. First he attacked the belly button with a combination of punches and kicks, but that only made the beast of blubber jiggle. Mantis dodged backwards as Don tried to squish him, not even close to connecting.
"ARRRRGGGHHH." The beast grumbled. The fight went on for a few more minutes, neither opponent able to inflict damage on the other.
"Hit his lips!" Bowsette yelled, exasperated. "The giant lips?"
Don Bongo came at Mantis again, but this time the master leaped ten feat into the air and unleashed a flurry of kicks and punches, seemingly hovering in the air momentarily. One more dramatic punch in the push and the monster was toppled, Master Mantis landing like a cat and straightening his robes.
"THAT'S IT FOLKS! THE TITAN HAS FALLEN! THE KING OF KISSES IS DOWN, HIS REIGN TOPPLED!" The crowd was losing its mind as Mantis made his exit. Forgetting Merlon for the moment, Bowsette went to intercept the master.
"Hey! Mantis! I've been looking for you!"
"Have you now? Truly it is what they say. When the student is ready, the teacher will appear." Master Mantis spun around, his long gray ponytail whipping behind him, his fists held in a defensive pose. "Show me what you have, child. Do not hold back!"
