Chapter 9: Elite Minion Circus

(Pi'illo Castle)

Mario, Luigi, Ty, Shantae, Starlow, and Prince Dreambert were standing in front of a men's restroom while the sounds of someone vomiting was coming from the other side of the door. Luigi walked up to the restroom door and began knocking on it.

Luigi- Hey Yoshi, you almost done in there yet?!

Then Yoshi opens the restroom door and sticks his head out. Yoshi did not look happy and his face was greener than usual.

Yoshi- Did Luigi drink strange liquid? No! Yoshi did! And Yoshi not feeling good after side-effects!

Then Yoshi's stomach began to rumble and Yoshi slammed the restroom door faster than Sonic can run around a city block. Then the sounds of Yoshi hurling continued.

Mario- Leave Yoshi alone. I think he has enough problems right now.

Ty- Should I try using my science skill to make a remedy?

Shantae- That will take too long. Maybe one of my magic spells and help Yoshi.

Then Toad rushed up to Mario and the others.

Toad- Mario, we got trouble!

Mario- What kind of trouble?

Suddenly, there was a loud explosion sound coming from outside. Mario, Luigi, Ty, Shantae, Starlow, Prince Dreambert, and Toad rushed outside to see the islands near Pi'illo Island get destroyed.

Luigi- Oh ****! This is almost as bad as facing Tabuu again!

Mario- Unfortunately, I agree with you, Luigi!

Toad- This huge castle just appeared in the sky and then all of the uninhabited island near Pi'illo Island just vanished like that!

Prince Dreambert- It appears Bowser and Antasma have put their plan into motion!

Toad- It's too dangerous to stay here! I say we bail!

Mario- First we need to get Princess Peach out of here!

Toad- Actually, Mario…she already left…

Mario- What do you mean, Toad?

Toad- Well after what happened when Bowser and that bat flew out of Luigi's dream, Princess Peach left to hide in a safe house at Driftwood Shore in case Bowser came to kidnap her.

Ty- Knowing Bowser, Princess Peach might be his next target. Toad, where is this safe house, mate?

Toad- At a strip mall on the far east side of Driftwood Shore. It's owned by Broque Madame whom we've met before.

Then Yoshi runs out of the castle.

Yoshi- Wait for…Yoshi…

Shantae- Yoshi, you sure you're ok?

Yoshi- Yoshi feeling…much better than before…

Yoshi's stomach begins to rumble again.

Yoshi- Although maybe not 100%...

(Driftwood Shore)

It was a lovely beach that made the area seemed more like an island beach with mostly sand and ocean as far as the eye can see with the occasional palm tree. Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, Ty, Shantae, Starlow, and Prince Dreambert arrived and eventually found the strip mall Toad was talking about. There was a block person at the front entrance.

Block person- Dearest Misters Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, Ty, and Mistress Shantae! We've awaited you. Your presence is requested in the room to the rear. Please head that way.

(Inside the strip mall)

Mario and his friends walked inside and they were surprised how fancy the place was.

Shantae- A little over the top for a strip mall.

Luigi- Well…Broque Madame has unique tastes…

Mario and the others walked to the back room of the strip mall. In that room was a large block woman lying on a fancy looking bed and getting a massage from two other block people.

Broque Madame- Hmm…Hit zee lower lumber a bit harder…

Then Mario and his friends entered the room and Broque Madame decided to sit up.

Broque Madame- Hee hee hee…I have admirers, honh?

Mario- Nice to see you too, Broque Madame, but what were you doing just now?

Broque Madame- Zee severe back therapy is not for zee public…You keep zis secret?

Luigi- Fine, but we have more important things to talk about.

Broque Madame- All right zen. Come out you two…

Then the other two block people took off their costumes revealing that they were really Princess Peach and Toadsworth.

Princess Peach- Mario! You and your friends found us!

Toadsworth- Since that great lout restored the Dream Stone…we found the best course of action to be hiding.

Then Toadsworth heard Yoshi's stomach rumbling.

Toadsworth- Uh, is master Yoshi ok? What's with that rumbling in his belly?

Yoshi- Yoshi rather not talk about…

Then the rumbling continued and Yoshi tried his best to fight back against the uneasy feeling he kept having.

Starlow- Well, we got worried about the princess and came right away.

Princess Peach- I'm fine, really. But little else is…Bowser's new castle…Just the thought of that floating castle make me fear the outdoors…

Broque Madame- Oui, but zis place, it is not so safe either…Bowser could attack here at any time, honh?

Toadsworth- True. Master Mario! We must ensconce the princess in safer lodgings!

Prince Dreambert- Hold on! How about we hide the Princess in the Dream World? That would be the last place he would think to look for her.

Mario- Good idea, but do you know how we can get to the Dream World?

Prince Dreambert- I remember there is a Dreampoint in the middle of the beach in Driftwood Shore. Luigi sleeps there and another dream portal opens.

Then Yoshi's stomach began to rumble again.

Broque Madame- And someone get your dinosaur friend a Benadryl.

(Back at Driftwood Shore)

After much searching, they eventually found the Dreampoint Dreambert was talking about. There was a small inner tube floating over just near the shore and the water it was floating on was shining like the other Dreampoints. Prince Dreambert turned into a large red pillow and placed himself on the inner tube. Luigi then jumped on the inner tube, rested his head on Prince Dreambert, and a dream portal opened once Luigi fell asleep.

(In the Dream World version of Driftwood Shore)

Mario had just entered the Dream World while carrying Princess Peach in his arms. Yoshi, Ty, Shantae, and Prince Dreambert followed behind shortly after. Mario put Princess Peach down and Princess Peach began looking around.

Princess Peach- So this is Driftwood Shore in the Dream World! So…mysterious…

Just then, Dreamy Luigi appeared.

Dreamy Luigi- I don't know if it's that mysterious, princess.

Princess Peach turned around and was very surprised when she saw Dreamy Luigi.

Princess Peach- Luigi?! How are you here?! I just saw you fall asleep in the real world!

Mario- That's because Luigi is not physically here. This is Luigi's dream consciousness manifested into the Dream World.

Princess Peach- A little hard to believe, but understandable I guess.

Ty- True, you are safe from Bowser in the Dream World, but not safe from danger. We've been in and out of the Dream World enough times to know there are some dangers in here as well.

Shantae- Like that Dream Stone spirit you woke up with your mega roar?

Mario- Ty has a good point. Ty and Shantae, you watch over the princess while Luigi, Yoshi, and I scout ahead.

Ty- Sure thing, mate.

Shantae- Very well, Mario.

Princess Peach- It's ok, Mario. I'm fine on my own. By the sound of things, you might need Ty and Shantae more than I do.

Mario- If you insist, princess. Come on everyone, let's scout and make it as quick as we can. Sooner this is done, the sooner we can figure out how to get the Dream Stone back from Bowser.

Mario, Dreamy Luigi, Yoshi, Ty, Shantae, and Prince Dreambert began exploring the Dream World version of Driftwood Shore to make sure everything was safe for Princess Peach.

Dreamy Luigi- Hey, Ty and Shantae, did Princess Peach seem a little off to you?

Ty- Not really.

Shantae- What do you mean?

Dreamy Luigi- Something about her didn't feel right. I don't know how to put it into words really.

Ty- Maybe you're just being paranoid, mate. I wouldn't blame you after seeing what that castle just did.

Dreamy Luigi- Maybe, but there is another thing I want to ask you two about. When I last merged with you guys in the Dream World to give you a boost, I picked up a few of your thoughts. Shantae, you were imagining Ty dying his hair purple and wearing the same belly dancer outfit you wear. And Ty, you were imagining Shantae covering herself in Tasmanian tiger fur and wearing your crocodile shorts. Those were some disturbing thoughts. Mind telling me what's up with that?

Ty and Shantae had a nervous look on their faces when Dreamy Luigi asked that question.

Shantae- Luigi, let's talk about this some other time!

Ty- Yeah mate! We still have an important job to do here!

Dreamy Luigi just shrugged it off as they continued to scout the area. Despite it being the Dream World, the entire area felt like a dock or pear next to a beach. There were also a few odd puzzles to unlock gates leading further into the Dream World version of Driftwood Shore that required Dreamy Luigi's talents to solve. Once they ventured deep enough, Princess Peach suddenly appeared behind them.

Princess Peach- Mario!

Mario- Princess Peach?! What are you doing here?

Princess Peach- I started to get worried, so I came to check on you.

Mario- Well, we've just gotten this last gate opened. You can hide out there until we get the Dream Stone back from Bowser.

Princess Peach- Ok. Let's see what's waiting down there…

Princess Peach began walking down the path to the next area. Mario and the others followed shortly after her. However, once they got passed the gate, all of ways out were suddenly blocked.

Yoshi- Why path close?

Princess Peach- Oh, the entrance pipes slammed shut! But…I'm sure we can relax now. Nobody can…interrupt us here…

Suddenly, Kamek removed his Princess Peach disguise, revealing that he was impersonating Princes Peach the entire time. The made Mario, Dreamy Luigi, Yoshi, Ty, Shantae, and Prince Dreambert's jaw drop to the floor. However, Kamek was still wearing the dress for some reason.

Kamek- Ooh, you poor ****ing fools! King Bowser had already kidnapped Princess Peach some time ago. I pretended to be her so I could spring this trap on you.

Mario- Oh ****…

Then Kamek lifted the dress like a cancan dancer and out came Private Goomp, Sergeant Guy, and Corporal Paraklonk. The pink dress disappeared from Kamek after that and Kamek was back to wearing his blue Magikoopa robe.

Kamek- Alright troop! Deal with these five shitheads! Show the true power of Bowser's honor guards!

Private Goomp- Hoo boy! It's our big chance!

Corporal Paraplonk- For real, guys, if we can finish them here…I don't want to jinx it, but PROMOTION CITY!

Then Dreamy Luigi merged with Mario, Yoshi, Ty, and Shantae to give them a power boost like he usually does in battles in the Dream World. Sergeant Guy set up a Banzai Bill cannon and had it ready to aim and fire. Private Goomp called in a bunch of other Goombas for him to coordinate attack patterns. However Corporal Paraplonk just floated near his companions with a bag full of healing mushrooms. Sergeant Guy loaded the Banzai Bill cannon and aimed it at Ty before firing it. However, Ty pulled out another of his elemental boomerangs, the Flamerangs, and threw it into the Banzai Bill cannon before the Banzai Bill could get launched and making it explode in Sergeant Guy's face. Sergeant Guy fell to the ground, but then Private Goomp helped Sergeant Guy get back up.

Private Goomp- See that! That's teamwork! Unless you can knock all three of us out at once, we can't lose!

Mario- Well, thanks for telling us!

Then Sergeant Guy slapped Private Goomp in the face.

Private Goomp- Perhaps I've said too much.

Shantae- Seriously, how did you three idiots become Bowser's "so-called" elite guards?

Private Goomp got the group of Goombas to form something like a Goomba pyramid and tried to have the trample over Shantae. Shantae used her dance moves to avoid the Goomba pyramid and low sweep kick one of the Goombas at the bottom to make the pyramid topple over. Then the Goomba pyramid fell right on top of Private Goomp. However, after he got crushed by his own Goomba troops, Corporal Paraplonk fed Private Goomp a mushroom and Private Goomp was back on his feet. Corporal Paraplonk put his body into his shell and charged for Yoshi. However, Yoshi jumped over it.

Yoshi- Boing Pow!

Yoshi performed his ground pound attack on Corporal Paraplonk's shell and kicked it right at Private Goomp. After those two fell to the ground, Sergeant Guy pulled out a magic wand and used it to help heal Private Goomp and Corporal Paraplonk.

Mario- This is starting to become a real nuisance.

Dreamy Luigi- Then let's hit them with a special Luiginary attack!

Mario- What now, Luigi?

Dreamy Luigi- I'll so you. Fire flower!

Suddenly, Dreamy Luigi turned into multiple Dreamy Luigi's and they were all in the fire flower power up form.

Fire Dreamy Luigi- We're gonna shoot some fire and you just help us build it up.

Fire Dreamy Luigi tossed a huge fireball to Mario and Mario tossed it to another Fire Dreamy Luigi. Fire Dreamy Luigi shot another fireball into that one and not only made it launched it into the air, but also made it bigger. Then the fireball was launched to four more Fire Dreamy Luigi's and they launched the fireball back into the air with a fireball each and knocked it into the air and made it bigger. After a few more Fire Dreamy Luigi's made the fireball big enough, Mario pulled out a hammer and knocked the fireball into Private Goomp, Sergeant Guy, and Corporal Paraplonk. This attack managed to knock all three of them out at once. Kamek flew in on his broomstick and shook his head in disappointment.

Kamek- Ugh, what are you guys DOING?! Look at yourselves! Pathetic! You think a bunch of weaklings are fit to guard Bowser?! NOPE! You guys are CANNED! You no longer lead the guards! You're on cleaning duty until further notice! Go clean Bowser's castle!

Then Kamek, Private Goomp, Sergeant Guy, and Corporal Paraplonk were teleported out using Kamek's magic.

(Back at Broque Madame's strip mall)

Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, Ty, Shantae, Starlow, and Prince Dreambert were telling Broque Madame and Toadsworth what happened.

Broque Madame- Zey pulled zee wool over us, honh? A fake princess…Incroyable…

Toadsworth- Master Mario! I am simply covered in shame! I've known her for all her life! And yet I couldn't tell…

Starlow- Do you think we can find a way into Bowser's castle?

Mario- Maybe we can call Pit. Ty, try sending Pit a message!

Ty checks his tablet computer and sees if Pit is available.

Ty- Bad news, mate! It appears that Team Rocket has been spotted in Skyworld and Pit and Ash are already trying to figure out what they're up to.

Mario- How about Sonic? I'm sure his Super Sonic form can bring the castle to ground level.

Ty checks his tablet computer again to see of Sonic was available.

Ty- Hold on a second…and…oh shit! Sonic's not available either! An escapee from Mobius fled to Hyrule. So Sonic went to Hyrule to find this guy and Link is helping him with the search.

Shantae- Talk about rotten luck.

Mario- There must be some way to reach the castle!

Broque Madame- By zee way…Dr. Snoozemore has returned…

Toadsworth- Eh? Dr. Snoozemore?

Broque Madame- You saw his face at least, oui? When you came to zis island. He is the proprietor.

Starlow- I remember him now! He's the professor who's researching the island's history and the Pi'illo's, right?

Prince Dreambert- A learned mind researching my people and the history of our island…Mario, we must visit this professor! Maybe he might have the answer we seek if he's doing research on my people!