Hello one and all! This chapter begins the final showdowns! Will Mario, Luigi and Jack conquer the EVIL Bowser and Oogie Boogie, and save the Princesses, and Halloween Town, and the Mushroom Kingdom?

Let's find out!

Also, this chapter is short...and fairly anticlimactic, I know. But trust me on it, okay? :)

There's also a reference to Corpse Bride. ;) You'll know it when you see it.


Today's song is the first two of the original songs for the story. :D One is called Let Them Go!

Let Them Go!-Jack, Lock, Shock and Barrel


The three heroes entered what they now saw was the throne room. Up ahead, Bowser and Oogie Boogie stood, alongside Lock, Shock and Barrel. Not only that, but a large, thick, round black cage was held by Bowser...and inside the cage were Peach and Sally, along with Twink!

"Mario! Luigi!" Cried Peach, clutching the bars.

"Jack!" Sally exclaimed.

Oogie Boogie gave a cackle as he took a few steps forward, addressing them. "Well well well! You actually made it here! Heh, so you're the Mario brothers everyone's talkin' about! But please, you're jokin'! You can't be the right guys! You're small, you're ugly! I don't know which is worse! I might just split a seam or two if I don't die laughin' first!"

Luigi shivered with fear, but stood his ground, as did Mario. Both of them said nothing, but their determination and sheer will was not lost.

"Enough of your nonsense, Oogie!" Jack snarled, taking a few steps forward. "You've gone too far! Release the Princesses at once! Or else you'll face the dire consequences!"

"Gwahahahaha!" Bowser laughed. "What are you gonna do, you big pile of bones? You've got nothing on us!"

"We will not let either of you get away with his! Set them free! We have made it this far and we will not back down now." Jack warned.

"L-L-L-Let them go!" Luigi added in, trembling. "O-Or else...! You're d-d-d-dead meat!"

Both diabolical villains gave evil, amused laughs at Luigi's sadly poor attempt at being brave.

"Afraid not, coward!" Bowser taunted. "The Princesses belong to us! We got 'em fair and square!"

"Looks like we'll have to teach you overconfident dolts a lesson!" Oogie Boogie cackled. "Let the evil plans begin! Lock, Shock, Barrel! Get them!"

"And time for me to make my own grand escape!" Bowser sneered, and hopped into his Koopa Clown Car, still holding the cage. "See you, losers! Say bye-bye to the Princesses, you'll never see 'em again!"

"Nooooo! Let us go! Mario! Luigi!" Peach wailed.

"Jack!" Sally cried desperately.

Bowser blew a raspberry and then flew out through the open window, the screams of the Princesses fading.

"SALLY! NO!" Jack yelled, reaching out in vain. His anger growing, he turned yet again to Oogie Boogie. "You won't get away with this!"

"Already have, bone daddy!" Oogie Boogie taunted. "If you want 'em back so bad, you'll have to go through all of us! Bye bye now!" He waved, and then disappeared through a trap door located in front of the throne.

"Nyah nyah nyah!" The three kids shouted, sticking out their tongues.

"Give it up, Jack!" Shock sneered. "You're in no position to plead for her life, since it won't do you any good!"

Jack fixated on them a moment, before turning to the brothers. "Mario, Luigi...you two stand back. I'll take care of these three. I have a plan..."

"B-B-But Jack..." Luigi began.

"All right." Mario said, trusting Jack's plan. He pulled Luigi aside, backing toward the wall to stay out of the way.

"Pretty bad decision, Jack! Taking us on alone! Now it's three against one!" Lock sneered.

"Now you'll have no help!" Barrel taunted.

"Anything that happens, nothing can save you!" Shock cackled.

Jack sneered at them. "I don't need any help. Not with what I need to do with you three." Pausing a few moments, he scowled darkly, pulled his mouth back with his fingers, exposing his teeth, narrowing his eye sockets menacingly, and sticking his pointed tongue out. "YAAAAGGHH!"

"WHOOOOOOOOOAAAAAA!" The trio screamed in fright, with Barrel jumping into Shock's arms.

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" Luigi screamed, jumping in such fright that even his hat went flying upwards off his head and landed back on it. Even Mario jumped a little bit but remained simply wide-eyed with surprise at the spectacle.

Jack lost the scary face, simply sticking to an angered glare. "Don't think it stops here now, you three are going to get your comeuppance if it's the last thing I do!"

"It WILL be the last thing you do, Jack!" The three taunted, as if unaffected by what had happened moments earlier with being scared.

"Dance with us!"

Lock, Shock and Barrel hopped up onto a platform, turning on a strangely conveniently placed radio, turning on some music. They then began to dance, either synchronized, or free style of their own.

Catching on, and seeing a good plan, he nodded toward Mario and Luigi, then pointed upward. The brothers nodded, and Jack winked at them before he joined in to the dancing craze now going on. If they wanted to dance, he would oblige.

"I told you once

I've told you twice, I'll tell you once again!

Let them go!

You locked them like common mice!" Now Jack sang, adding in to the dancing they were all currently doing.

This of course prompted Lock, Shock and Barrel to join in singing as they danced along to the beat. Unfortunately for them, little did they know, this was all part of Jack's little plan to put a stop to them.

(LSB)
"Forget it Jack
We knew you would come
Just as Oogie Boogie said you would!
You'll never get them back!
"

(Shock)
"It's nothing personal
We're just under orders
So Jack, take your pick!
Either way you'll only become more heartsick!
"

(Jack)
"I won't let you do this!
Your punishment is far overdue!
And that, you brats is true!
Now let them go!

How dare you use my dear Sally
Then to bring an innocent Princess into this!
Can't you see just what you're doing?
I will strike you and I swear I will not miss!
"

(LSB)
"Try all you like, you'll never save them
You and those dumb plumbers
Can try all you like
But either way you'll end up looking dumber!
"

(Lock)
"You're out of your jurisdiction!
There's nothing you can do!
Oogie Boogie and Lord Bowser take control!
The little Princesses will see to their own doom!
"

(LSB)
"You can't scare us
Not with Oogie Boogie back again
Now with Lord Bowser on our side
We have a chance in stride!
"

(Jack)
"Stop this at once!
You'll only be to blame for the chaos here!
Come to your senses, release them from their cage
Else you will face my rage!
"

(LSB)

"Like we care!
Nothing can stop our masters!
Not when the world is theirs

We can just push you down some stairs!"

(Jack)
"I won't let you do this!
Your punishment is far overdue!
And that, you brats is true!
Now let them go!

How dare you use my dear Sally
Then to bring an innocent Princess into this!
Can't you see just what you're doing?
I will strike you and I swear I will not miss!
"

(LSB)

"Try all you like, you'll never save them
You and those dumb plumbers
Can try all you like
But either way you'll end up looking dumber!
"

(Lock)
"You should know by now Jack
Third time's a charm!
So give up now, while you still can!
Otherwise Oogie Boogie will carry out his plan!
"

(Barrel)
"Come and try
We'd love to see you cry!
When you see your one and only love
Go bye-bye!
"

(Jack)
"My dear Sally means the world to me
And you all have crossed the line!
I will make you brats pay
And take you down, no matter what you say!

Let them go!
Comply with what I tell you
Or else you'll have nightmares far beyond your wildest imaginations!
And that, you brats is true!
"

(LSB)
"Try it all you like
We'll never give!
The Princesses will never be free
Just you wait and see!
"

(Jack)
"I won't let you do this!
Your punishment is far overdue!
And that, you brats is true!
Now let them go!

How dare you use my dear Sally
Then to bring an innocent Princess into this!
Can't you see just what you're doing?
I will strike you and I swear I will not miss!
"

(LSB)

"Try all you like, you'll never save them
You and those dumb plumbers
Can try all you like
But either way you'll end up looking dumber!
"

(Jack)
"You will know not to underestimate
With Mario and Luigi at my side
Nothing can stop them, not even back then
Nor will I give in to your heinous plan!
"

(LSB)
"Hail to Mr. Oogie
Hail to Lord Bowser
Nothing can stop them in their wake
Anything you try is beyond your own power!
"

(Jack)
"If you dare hurt my dear Sally
You will face the dire consequences!
Hurt the Mushroom Princess
The brothers will not dilly dally

I vow as the Pumpkin King
To save this world
I will not let them down
Especially not to these things!
"

(Barrel)
"Mr. Oogie Boogie is the meanest guy around!"

(Shock)
"Lord Bowser never gives up!"

(Lock)
"Together they will make you run like a scared little pup!"

(LSB)
"And that, stupid Jack, is fact!
So go ahead and try!
We're waiting for your next move!
Nothing can stop our groove!
"

(Jack)
"I won't let you do this!
Your punishment is far overdue!
And that, you brats is true!
Now let them go!

How dare you use my dear Sally
Then to bring an innocent Princess into this!
Can't you see just what you're doing?
I will strike you and I swear I will not miss!
"

(LSB)

"Try all you like, you'll never save them
You and those dumb plumbers
Can try all you like
But either way you'll end up looking dumber!
"

(Jack)

"I will not stop until this is over!
When we've saved Sally and the Princess Peach
Anything you try to do to stop me
We will make you pay, just you wait and see!

Let them go!"

Jack made one last dramatic dance move, and that was when he executed his plan. He first launched Soul Robber toward the trio, effectively binding them together like a big rope.

"Hey! No fair! That was a cheap shot!" Lock yelled in protest.

"Let us go! You tricked us!" Shock screeched.

"Ow! It's too tight!" Barrel whined.

"Not this time, you brats!" Jack said, and turned to Mario and Luigi. "Do it now!"

Mario held some rope that was hanging from the ceiling, while Luigi untied it from where it was bound to a peg in the floor. Once it was untied, Mario released the rope. Jack released Soul Robber from the trio, just in time for a huge black cage to come crashing down. It encased the trio in it, having been what the rope was attached to.

The plan had been that Jack would dance along with Lock, Shock and Barrel as a way to distract them, giving in to their silly little game. Little did they realize, he had seen the cage up above, which was no doubt some kind of a trap for him and the brothers. That had been why he told Mario and Luigi to stay out of the way.

Now, he had one last thing to do.

"Who would have thought Oogie Boogie would have been stupid enough to use this curse on you three..." Jack mused as he walked over to the cage. Crossing his arms, he uttered one simple word. "Hopscotch."

Nothing happened then. Or at least, so it seemed. Lock, Shock and Barrel just blinked a few times, and looked a little confused and disoriented.

"What...what just happened?" Shock wondered, and looked to see Lock and Barrel on either side of her, in a cage, and then saw Jack. "Whoa! Hey!"

"Where in the heck are we?" Lock wanted to know.

"I think I wet myself!" Barrel moaned.

Mario and Luigi came over to Jack's side, peering in at the kids as they now could see that they were clearly confused now, wondering what he had done to make them this way.

"Why are we in a cage? Let us out!" Shock demanded.

Jack shook his head. "You three were under Oogie Boogie's curse. I had wondered why you seemed so bent on following him again, after what had happened before. But now I see he used that stupid old curse...clearly as a spirit he had no other options."

"Curse?" Lock frowned. "What the heck do you mean?"

"I want to know, too!" Said Luigi.

"Tell us about it." Mario agreed, seconding Luigi's notion.

"The curse is the simplest, but stupidest form of manipulation." Jack explained. "It's very easy to cast and activate, but it's also incredibly easy to break. That's why it's mostly used for practicing and improving. One word breaks the curse. Hopscotch."

"Wait! I remember now, Oogie Boogie came back and then, all this weird stuff happened! I thought we were dreaming!" Shock declared. "Whatever, let us out!"

"No." Jack shook his head. "You three are still in trouble for the chaos you helped cause. You're staying right here, just until we go home."

"Hey! No fair! We were out of it! Let us out!" Lock demanded, trying to shake the steel cage, but to no avail.

"Nyah nyah nyah!" Luigi blew a raspberry, but was elbowed by Mario. "You can't get us now!"

Mario turned to them both then. "We should get going...we have to find them now."

Jack nodded, as did Luigi. "We'll get going then. You three are to stay put! That's an order! Before we go, we have some questions for you three."


"Make yourselves comfortable, Princesses!" Bowser said gleefully as he set the cage down on the rooftop. "You'll be here for a while! If those pathetic idiots make it all the way here, I'll send them flying off this roof!"

"A battle on the rooftop...Bowser, can I just say that I have seen this so many times? I think maybe originality would be a much better idea." Peach said a bit sarcastically.

Bowser just laughed. "Gwahahahaha! Real nice, Peach! But I don't think sarcasm suits your personality! Complain all you want though, won't do you any good! Bye bye now!" He went through a nearby door and slammed it behind him.

Peach sighed, shaking her head as she looked at Twink and Sally. "At least they made it this far...just as I thought they would."

"I'm just glad they made it safely...I don't know what I would do if something horrible happened to them." Sally sighed softly then, raising her knees up and hugging them to her chest.

She still felt a touch of despair after what had happened in the underground room, how she had gotten to see Jack again...after what seemed like such a long time. How long had it even been? She had no concept of time around here. But to see him, actually feel him holding her, the sound of his voice, to feel him in person, and then to have it ripped away from her. It made her realize just how much she missed him all the more. It even further cemented her fear of losing him for good. As strong as she was trying to be, it was not helping.

"Sally...I'm sorry about what had happened down there earlier." Peach said softly, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I've had that happen before, too."

Sally looked at her with a touch of curiosity. "You have?"

"Yes. I know exactly how you feel. I've had times where I was kidnapped, and then Mario found me, but then I was taken away again, either because it was a trap or they caught me." Peach sighed softly. "I can always remember that it made me worry...made me realize just how easily they could tear us apart."

"...Oh..." Sally blinked once, and looked down at her knees again. Peach did indeed seem to understand that situation and feeling, if not more so than she did. She recalled the time she had hidden in the underground burial chamber, and Jack had found her there, but she was then captured by the monstrous spider creature. But that situation had been different, hadn't it? After he defeated the spider, she was saved, and they were truly reunited yet again. Then he had gotten the Valentine's Day door...which she blushingly recalled was so ironic.

"Don't be sad, Princess Sally." Twink said softly. "I think we all know by now that Mario, Luigi and Jack are not going to back down. They've made it this far, they're going to overcome Bowser and that dreadful Oogie Boogie! I know they will. I can feel it."

"I feel it, too." Peach agreed. "You feel it too, don't you, Sally?"

This made Sally think for a moment. She remembered the time she had plucked the petals off of a flower, and then it transformed into a little Christmas tree...only for it to suddenly burn to a crisp. The premonition of Christmas being a disaster. And how she'd been right, as much as she wished she were not. As scared as she was for the safety of their friends coming to save them, it did help that she was certain they would make it.

Sally smiled a bit. "I do feel it. I once had a premonition...about a disaster to come, with smoke and fire. ...But I haven't right now, I think...they'll make it."

Peach smiled too, nodding. "I think so, too."