Chapter 10: The Interview

Mario and his friends were huddled around the television within the Royal Lounge, watching the news broadcast with great interest. Daisy had informed Link, Navi, Rosalina, and Geno about how Pauline was the mayor of Mushroom City, and a close friend of Mario and Luigi's. Mario had immediately insisted that it would be absurd for Pauline to have a Shadow Realm. Whether it was true or not, right now they all had their eyes glued to the TV, which featured the headline:

TERRORIST ATTACK ON MUSHROOM CITY: DECLARATION OF WAR FROM THE X-NAUTS?

/

Jolene, a prominent journalist at MK News, was seated at a wooden dark brown desk. She was currently interviewing Pauline, who was seated on an adjacent cream sofa with a glass of sparkling water set on the white table before her.

"-And then you had reinforcements arrive on the scene?" Jolene probed, her eyes narrowed. She wore thin black glasses, and looked as sharp as ice.

"Yes. After those bandits had hijacked an X-Naut blimp, members of the X-Naut army had promptly arrived in order to deal with the situation." Pauline calmly explained, her hands held neatly together on her lap and legs crossed.

"Let me get this straight-" Jolene started, with a hand. She looked highly skeptical. "You're saying, that it wasn't the X-Nauts that were behind the attack on Mushroom City, but instead they were the ones that put an end to it?"

"Yes." Pauline confirmed, with a nod.

/

"That's a total load of crap!" Luigi protested, standing up from his seat with clenched fists. "I know for a fact that Wario and Waluigi were working under Grodus! I heard it from their own lips! There's no doubt the X-Nauts were behind the attack!"

{Luigi took a few steps towards his parked Vespa, the only vehicle remaining in the Mushplex parking lot this late. A green exclamation mark appeared over his head as he heard the snickering of two suspicious people who were approaching from down the street. Looking side to side, he saw a rather wide mailbox near the stairs leading to the Mushplex entrance, and decided to take cover behind it.

"Nyeah-heh-heh-heh, can you believe it Wario?" Waluigi snickered, rubbing his twiggy moustache with pride as he marched down the street with his lanky legs. "Tomorrow's the big day!"

"We're gonna blow this damn city to the ground!" Wario grinned, with a manic expression on his face as he carried a large rolled up tarp.

A green exclamation mark appeared over Luigi's head as he hid behind the mailbox.

"Come tomorrow, that dumb broad of a mayor won't even know what hit her!" Wario laughed, rubbing his gloved hands together as if he had some devious ploy in mind.

"All will go according to plan, and our Lord Grodus will be most pleased." Waluigi grinned, practically euphoric with fantasies of promotion and renown.

"Grodus?" Luigi barked, his eyes widened in shock.}

"Really?" Daisy acknowledged, her eyebrows raised as she held her chin in thought. "So then Pauline is lying, right?"

"Wait, does Pauline even know that they were the ones in the blimp?" Mario protested.

"She must. Because they were the ones running the Bombastic Carnival." Peach reminded. "So she must have recognized that Wario and Waluigi were the ones broadcasting those threats from the blimp, since they had to work with her in order to get the event approved in the first place."

"Then it sounds like there is no doubt that she knew they were the ones in the blimp." Link agreed, nodding with folded arms.

"Okay, fine, but maybe she still doesn't realize that they're actually part of the X-Nauts?" Mario persisted, scratching his head. "I mean, they didn't yell out that they were with the X-Nauts, right?"

"Somehow I doubt that she doesn't know." Daisy declined, her arms folded.

"Jolene will get it out of her, anyway." Luigi assured, sitting back onto the edge of his seat. "She's known for destroying people during an interview."

/

"Because you know, that's highly controversial territory." Jolene warned, with raised eyebrows.

"Well-"

"Because a lot of viewers that are listening in on this are worried that we're about to go to the war with the X-Nauts, and here you are saying that they are our allies?" Jolene challenged, shaking her head.

"I never-"

"What gives you the right to say something like they weren't behind the attacks?" Jolene persisted, rather riled up.

Pauline remained perfectly calm, looking at Jolene with a pleasant expression.

"I'm the mayor of Mushroom City." Pauline reminded. "So-"

"Yes, but what-"

"So, with all due respect," Pauline calmly silenced, continuing her point. "I happen to know a thing or two about what really went on behind the scenes -certainly more than those who are spreading baseless rumours amongst the general population, who, for the most part, were separated from the issue entirely."

"Y-Yes well, that may be, but that doesn't excuse defending the X-Nauts." Jolene persisted, diverging the conversation. "How can you say that they were here to help Mushroom City? I mean don't you have any idea what's going on in Sarasaland right now?"

"I'm just answering the question that you had initially asked." Pauline calmly reminded. Jolene nodded, as she followed Paulines speech with upmost skepticism. "You asked me what had happened today in Mushroom City. I'm telling you that a group of thieves had formulated a plan, in which they hosted a carnival event, that I regretably permit, which turned out to be a disguise for their terrorist plot. Those-"

"Yes, but-"

"Those," Pauline calmly insisted, pointing with her hands together. "Two individuals were nothing but lowly conmen from Sarasaland. They somehow hijacked an X-Naut blimp, and then used it to fly over to the Mushroom Kingdom, and then committed their crimes under the guise of X-Nauts. Probably to start a war, which I suspect, with all due respect, that this interview is only helping to enflame."

"Okay, fine, so if we grant that story, then how do you explain the X-Nauts coming over and helping?" Jolene challenged. "I mean, why would they do that?"

"Well why wouldn't they?" Pauline challenged.

"Umm, maybe because they don't particularly like the Mushroom Kingdom?" Jolene challenged.

"Well I can imagine that they don't want a couple of conmen potentially starting a war under their own name, either?" Pauline tactfully dismissed.

"Well I heard," Jolene started, with raised eyebrows. "That the blimps that were attacking the X-Naut blimp were in fact sporting the Mushroom Kingdom flag."

"Mm-hm." Pauline pleasantly nodded, her hands neatly together.

"Right, so how could it have been the X-Nauts?" Jolene sniped. "If it was so clearly representatives of the Mushroom Kingdom fighting against the X-Nauts?"

"It was actually my suggestion to have the X-Nauts enter the country under that disguise." Pauline informed.

"What?" Jolene gawked, utterly gobsmacked.

"I informed the appropriate individual-"

"And who might that be?" Jolene intervened, with a real glare.

"I'm not telling you." Pauline dismissed, shaking her head.

"Why wouldn't you-"

"It's confidential. I'm not revealing confidential information on public television." Pauline dismissed, with a hard no. "Now may I please continue?"

Pauline continued anyway, and Jolene remained silent. "I let that person know that a group of thieves were attacking my city under the guise of the X-Nauts. They had decided to come over and deal with the issue immediately, but I told them that if they were to appear under the flag of the X-Nauts, that would only make the fine citizens of Mushroom City even more frightened. So I suggested that they can come over in that particular disguise."

"But that doesn't answer-"

"Which I can see now was a foolish plan, because look at what sort of confusion it has caused." Pauline intervened. "I've framed the X-Nauts by having them help us deal with a group of common thugs, and the media is probably going to start a war by blowing the issue out of proportion."

"W-Well-"

"Now do you or any of your associates plan on accepting responsibility for this if, heaven forbid, such an unfortunate outcome takes place?" Pauline calmly challenged.

/

"Wow, Pauline's really got her on the ropes." Geno sighed, shaking his head while standing with folded arms.

"And she's a dirty liar." Daisy growled, her fists clenched and eyes teary. "Those X-Nauts attacked Mushroom City, and they also attacked Peach Castle, too. They were out to kill, and she's defending them publicly."

"But why would she be defending the X-Nauts?" Peach challenged, with a hand.

"Pfft. Who cares. Probably for the same reason as Bowser." Daisy growled. "Joining up with them for personal gain. An act of avarice. I'll never forgive her."

"Wait, we don't know that yet." Mario reasoned, with his hands raised weakly in protest. "She might be being blackmailed, or something."

"I highly doubt it." Daisy disagreed, her arms folded and expression beyond cross. "Damn witch. Your heart would have to be seriously twisted in order to be able to tell such a nasty lie so calmly to all of your trusting and impressionable people like that. There's no doubt that Shadow Realm belongs to her. I'm convinced."

Then suddenly, the interview shifted to a topic that immediately grabbed everyones attention.

/

"Okay, let's shift the angle a little bit on this discussion then, shall we?" Jolene proposed, with a devious smirk.

Pauline quietly laughed and shook her head, reaching for a sip of water and then setting the glass back down.

"Princess Daisy." Jolene started. Geno and Navi had each turned to see that Daisy was still watching with trembling eyes. "You're familiar with her, correct?"

"I am acquainted with Daisy, yes." Pauline confirmed, with a nod.

"Oh, so you know her?" Jolene inquired, with interest.

"Yes, to a degree." Pauline informed. "Although I do not prefer to share my relationships with politicians publicly."

"It's an orthogonal point, what I mean to say is that she has recently been exiled from her country. From Sarasaland." Jolene continued. "You're aware of this, right?"

"Yes."

"And are you aware of who is responsible for usurping her throne?" Jolene challenged.

"Yes."

"So why," Jolene persisted, aiming at her with a sharp hand. "Why then, would you try and defend the X-Nauts by saying that they weren't the ones responsible for the attack?"

"I'm not defending the X-Nauts. I'm just stating the fact that they weren't behind the attack, which they weren't." Pauline insisted.

"But thats defending them." Jolene persisted, now grasping at straws.

"No, I just don't think that it's all that wise to start a war over a falsehood." Pauline insisted. "That's not particularly unreasonable, is it?"

"The people of the Mushroom Kingdom are worried that the X-Nauts are going to strike again at any moment, and you're sitting here saying that it's all fine?" Jolene challenged, looking through her glasses with narrowed eyes.

"There's no evidence that supports an upcoming attack from the X-Nauts. They had an opportunity to support the thugs when they flew over here, but instead they helped get rid of them and then left quietly." Pauline explained. "But if the media keeps sporting headlines like "declaration of war from the X-Nauts", I can see why the public might get the idea that they're in danger of an attack."

/

"Left quietly..." Daisy spat. "Yeah, nearly with mine and Rosalina's heads."

"She... might not know about the attack on the Castle." Mario defended, although with considerable lack of conviction in his tone.

Daisy shook her head in disbelief, her expression appearing as though she wouldn't be able to take much more of the broadcast. Then, the subject got even more personal for her.

/

"So it's the medias fault that Mushroom City was attacked, is what you're saying?" Jolene retorted, with a stunned expression.

"No, I'm just against fear mongering." Pauline calmly declined. "It's not helpful."

"The majority of the population is not happy with the X-Nauts, and they are certainly not happy with Princess Daisy being exiled from her own country." Jolene continued. "The Smash Kingdom, Hyrule, these are powerful nations that are doing nothing to support Princess Daisy. And here you are, insisting that the Mushroom Kingdom shouldn't be concerned over the matter either?"

"I didn't say-"

"Where is the justice for Princess Daisy?" Jolene demanded, with an angered expression.

"I have an entire population to consider." Pauline calmly declined. Remarkably, Jolene hadn't even gotten the slightest bit of reaction out of her during the entire interview. "Now I'm not in support of what happened to Princess Daisy, but starting a war is hard on everyone. It's hard on the economy, which is booming right now by the way. It will impact a lot of people very negatively if we start a war."

"So too bad for Daisy, right?" Jolene challenged. "Let's just do nothing about it."

"I didn't say that." Pauline declined.

"Well it's just-"

"Besides, this isn't even entirely in my control." Pauline reminded, crossing over the other leg. "Princess Peach is the ultimate authority on the matter. So I would kindly suggest that perhaps you bombard her with these questions instead."

The clock had run out. Jolene was forced to conclude the interview.

"Mayor Pauline." Jolene concluded, forcing a toothless smile. "It's been a pleasure."

"Thanks for having me." Pauline nodded, with a smile.

/

Mario and his friends shifted their attention away from the television, only to see the door of the Royal Lounge was swinging. Daisy had stormed out.

"Daisy!" Peach cried, standing up and running after her.

Mario rose to a stand, but no one said anything. Peach shut the door behind her, and everyone remained silent with grim expressions.

/

It was late in the evening, and the streets of Mushroom City were bare. Trotting along on her magical broomstick was Kammy Koopa, who had retreated from Peach Castle earlier that day after Link had demonstrated his Triforce of Courage ability.

"Unbelievable." Kammy Koopa spat, magical purple rings emitting from the back of her broomstick. She was hovering in place near a collapsed structure in the eastern district. "Just who was that guy, anyway? We've got a real problem on our hands, if he comes after us..."

Kammy Koopa then patted her grey hair with a scaly hand, blushing bashfully. "Perhaps I could convince him to join the Koopa Troop, with my magnificent charm?"

Then, there was suddenly a deep and terrifying sound.

Grrrrrumble!

A purple exclamation mark appeared over Kammy Koopa's head. It had come from within the collapsed structure. She proceeded to tremble nervously, aiming her magic wand at it. The ruby tip gleamed in the moonlight.

"W-W-Who goes there?" Kammy Koopa demanded. "S-S-Show y-yourself!"

"Urrrrgh... Kammy?" Bowser weakly called from within the rubble. "Is that you?"

"Huh? Lord Bowser?" Kammy Koopa gawked. "Hold on a minute, I'll get you out!"

Without hesitation, Kammy Koopa raised her magic wand. Thin rods of light were getting sucked into the ruby tip, which then glowed alluringly from magical augmentation. She launched a spell, and cascading pink hearts twirled into the rubble. The sound effect of health recovery emit from within the rubble. Three dots appeared above Kammy Koopa's head as she waited patiently. Then, she waved her arms in a panic as the rubble went flying everywhere with a loud bang.

Bowser was standing with his arms raised, his expression joyful. Back in tip-top shape, he had enough strength to free himself from the debris that had collapsed onto him.

"YEEEEEEESSS!" Bowser cried, smiling happy with his arms raised. "I'm finally free! Oh yeah! Life's good!"

"Lord Bowser!" Kammy Koopa cried, rocks still raining all around them. "So it is you! Whatever were you doing under there?"

"Grrrr, it was Mario!" Bowser growled, his arms folded and eyes closed. "He punched me right into this building, and the next thing I know, I was waking up from a nap under all of this rubble."

"Truly, your Burliness?" Kammy Koopa doubted, with raised eyebrows. "But however did Mario manage to beat you with your new power?"

"He had help." Bowser assured. "I almost had him, too."

"Help, you say?" Kammy Koopa inquired, a scaly hand on her chin in thought. "Yes, I ran into some trouble back at the castle. More of this "help", you could say."

"What? How? What happened?" Bowser snapped, apparently unwilling to except her failure despite his own.

"W-Well you see, this man showed up and took out every last one of us in the blink of an eye!" Kammy Koopa protested, trembling in his shadow. "I'm not even sure how else to describe it!"

"In the blink of an eye, you say?" Bowser acknowledged, apparently believing the story. He closed his eyes and folded his arms, thinking deeply. "Hmmm..."

"It's true, your Mercifulness." Kammy Koopa declared, raising a scaly finger. "This man might even be more powerful than Mario!"

Bowser said nothing, continuing to think deeply. Then suddenly, that same noise from earlier could be heard from Bowser's stomach.

Grrrrrumble!

"Oooog." Bowser groaned, his eyes weakly open.

"O-Oh my, that was you?" Kammy Koopa gawked, a hand near her mouth in alarm.

"I'm hungry, okay?" Bowser growled, turning away with folded arms. "I haven't eaten since this morning."

"Well, let's head back to the Castle then, shall we? I'll make your favourite dinner." Kammy Koopa gleefully promised. "Now that you mention it, I am rather famished myself!"

"Yeah, it's about time we head back." Bowser agreed. His expression was suddenly much more devious. "And after we feast, let's put the plan into action."

"The plan?" Kammy Koopa cried, suddenly quite alarm. "So soon?"

"That's right." Bowser insisted, with a nod. His eyes narrowed. "This time, we will capture Princess Peach without fail. And then she will finally become my wife."