As Lakitu signalled the start, every Mario Kart racer blasted off. It was tremendously close – the Bowsers had got a first, the Koopalings a second, the Nitro Dinos a third, the Mario bros a fourth and the rest all fighting for fifth place. Starting out at the deck, the track turned right before going on a glass walkway at the side of the ship. Mario, who was driving, quickly overtook the Nitro Dinos and had his eyes set on the Koopalings. A line of item boxes approached – Mario got the third – and Luigi fired his red shell, which struck the Koopalings fair and square. 2nd.
Afterwards the course opened out again, and at the centre was a large circular swimming pool. Toads were sitting on floating chairs in it, sipping ice drinks and watching the race. Mario raced right along the pool's edge, careful to conserve time, and soon even the Bowsers were within reach.
Bowser Jr., who was driving, was a bit more careful. Soon, the course came back, which led to a winding metal staircase, and there was a steady bang-bang-bang as the Mario Bros Monster rattled down its steps, throwing the occupants around. The staircase wound around the outside of the ship to the ship's second level, with pillars of the left and a wall on the right, making it a sort of half-tunnel. Two large doors loomed overhead, with a large sign painted above it, filled with flowers which read 'DINING ROOM'.
The Bowsers ahead of them went right through, and wrecked several dining tables which littered the room, to the waiters' dismay. Luckily, no-one occupied the room at the moment, and Luigi wondered why the Mario Kart officials hadn't bothered to fold the tables away – when a large bang announced that Mario had started ploughing through tables himself.
After the dark dining room, the second pair of doors opened to an arched pathways, with round windows looking out to sea. The Bowsers still showed no signs of weakening and Mario was getting flustered. Afterwards, there was a straight with the normal path on the left and a massive hole on the right. The Bowsers swerved left to avoid the hole, but Mario, who had more knowledge of the course, plunged right into the hole, knowing that it was a shortcut.
The Mario brothers landed into the ship's cargo hold, with boxes and crates of fruit and other edibles being sorted into piles around the narrow track. Soon, it opened into an orange warp pipe – Mario was able to take the item box within it – and they blasted into the sunshine again.
Bowser Jr. couldn't believe his eyes. The Mario bros have landed before them!
"How the hell -!", he started fuming.
"Must've been the hole", Bowser murmured thoughtfully to himself.
"What?", said Junior, but soon he remembered as well. The hole, why was he so stupid?
Suddenly, the Mario bros let loose a banana, which reminded the big Koopas that there was an item box in it as well. Junior managed to dodge it, however.
Back in the Mario Bros Monster, Luigi had fired the banana and saw to his dismay that the Koopas managed to avoid it. Mario, in front, was concentrating on the course – which was, after a period of straight, leading up via metal ramp to the top deck again, and across the start/finish line. Lap 2.
Upon entering the glass walkway, the line of item boxes came again and Mario got a shell. To his horror, the Koopas have got triple red shells, and they weren't afraid to use them.
Luigi utilised his shell to equal out the first one, but the second one didn't look like missing. Fortunately for the plumbers, it was now the metal staircase and the shell bounced a few times, lost its homing ability, and fell into the sea.
On the deck below, the Bowsers fired their third. The course was too narrow for Mario to attempt a swerve and the shell hit.
"DAMN!", screamed Luigi, as the Koopalings also overtook.
"I'm driving!", Mario said back. It was now the dining room and the Koopalings started plunging through tables. But that also slowed them down, and Mario picked out a smarter route and went around – emerging from the dining room in 2nd.
Apparently the Bowsers had corrected their mistake and went for the hole also, and this was later confirmed when the item box which was found in the orange warp pipe was gone.
But strangely, there was an item box ahead.
"Yes!", said Luigi. "Gimme that item, Mario, and I'll show the Bowsers whose boss!"
"Use your eyes!", responded Mario. "Can't you see its coloured red! Its a fake item box, for goodness sake!"
"That explains it", said Luigi. "No wonder there was no item box!"
Soon, the third lap started and at the glass walkway it was the Mario bros who got lucky this time. Ending up with a blue shell, they managed to blast the Bowsers behind them – ramming them again just to be sure – and Mario and Luigi continued in first place.
Down the stairs and through the dining room, the Mario brothers were unchallenged. Before long, however, a kart emerged and challenged them for the title. Except it wasn't the Bowsers – it wasn't even the Koopalings.
It was the Mighty Meteors.
Apparently, the Koopalings had crashed into a heap of tables, whilst the Bowsers were still chasing after the blue shell.
Their Twin Comet was not heavy, but it certainly was fast. Upon exiting the orange pipe, simply by going through the air, was leading.
"Ram them!", shouted Luigi.
Mario gulped. If they missed, it'll send them right over the railing and into the sea. Certain death.
As they went up, Mario thought of something. "Luigi, look at your item screen!"
They had got their item box from the pipe, but in their panic they had completely forgot about it.
"Yes! Red shell!", said Luigi, and clicked 'FIRE'.
The ramp ended, and the Mario brothers finished the course in 1st. The Bowsers had only managed a feeble 6th.
"Ladies and gentlemen!", announced Lakitu. "The finishing lineup:
"Mario and Luigi – Mario Bros!"
The spectators who had come onto the bridge roared their approval. They had wanted them to beat the Bowsers for quite some time now.
"Princess Rosalina and Lubba – Mighty Meteors! Then, it is Ludwig von Koopa and Wendy O. Koopa – King Koopalings! Nitro Dinos! Bowser Beasts! Turbocharged Shrooms! Garlic and Eggplant! Power Princesses! Double DK! And finally, the Super Shells!"
The scoreboard then flashed:
Bowser Beasts | 23
Mario Bros | 22
King Koopalings | 20
Mighty Meteors | 12
Nitro Dinos | 8
Turbocharged Shrooms | 3
Power Princesses | 0
Garlic and Eggplant | 0
Double DK | 0
Super Shells | 0
It was the first time that the Bowsers had not scored a single point in a race. The Mario bros were just a single point behind.
As night fell, and the Daisy Cruiser started to embark on the long, long voyage back to Rogueport, amongst the racers it was a time for celebration. They were in the dining room, eating delicious food while watching a performance. Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Princess Daisy, Toad, Toadette, Yoshi, Birdo, Rosalina and Lubba shared a large table, Bowser, Bowser Jr., Ludwig von Koopa and Wendy O. Koopa shared another, and the third was for Wario, Waluigi, Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Koopa Troopa and Koopa Paratroopa, who sat amongst themselves.
The performance in question was Toadio and Shroobiet, about two individuals whose parents were horrified when their son/daughter had fallen in love.
Next was a musical performance, followed by a feast. Yoshi and Birdo ate the majority of the dishes, whilst the others complained.
But soon, the ship docked at the harbour and the racers all waved goodbye. The night air was really fresh, and the yellow lights of Rogueport lit the streets.
"Good luck in the Special Cup!", said Luigi. What are you planning on doing over the next five days?"
"I'd thought that I would take Toadette to the Glitz Pit to watch a match", explained Toad. "I think Chomp Country are challenging Rawk Hawk for champion, I'm sure it'll be a thriller. Too bad the Great Gonzales isn't participating", Toad added cheekily, remembering how Mario once fought in the arena whilst on a quest to rescue Peach from the Shadow Queen.
"Sure.", said Luigi, and he waved goodbye.
"I'm taking Peach to Sarasaland!", said Daisy, excited. "Wanna come?"
"We'll see", said Luigi.
"Well, we're leaving in two days so you'd better make up your mind!"
"Sure." Mario had been to Sarasaland once, in an incident which involved the alien Tatanga, whilst he has never been there personally.
"It'll be fun!", shouted Daisy from the dock, as they entered a limo.
But with the Special Cup – and Rainbow Road – just five days away, Luigi didn't know what to do, and where to go.
NEXT CHAPTER COMING SOON