Super Mario Galaxy: Reach For The Stars
Roy's Galaxy Part 1
Desert Paths: Up The Desert Tower
The relatives landed back at the observatory then checked the map. Sure enough a new galaxy opened up. The group headed for the launch star. Luigi suddenly paused. Waluigi noticed first and looked back. "What is it?" he asked Luigi, a bit annoyed.
Luigi looked from him to Rosalina's bedroom then back. Waluigi raised an eyebrow. "Come on Stick Man, Green Beanpole!" Wario called impatiently.
Luigi pursed his lips then replied, "It's-a nothing." Swiftly he passed his cousin by. Waluigi watched after him suspiciously. He looked at the queen's bedroom skeptically. Hmm, he was going to have to find a way to get in there. Something was up. For now he shrugged it off and followed the others.
SMB
Wario looked confused as he examined the map. "How do we make-a this thing go?" Wario asked, puzzled. He as of yet hadn't really been picking destination, that was Maroi, Luigi, and Waluigi, so he had no clue how this thing was supposed to work.
Mario smirked. "Touch it," he said as if it were obvious. Wario blinked blankly then sheepishly grinned and touched the planet.
The cousins fell from the sky towards the desert, their screams making some of the creatures look up and scurry. All four cried out in pain as they hit the ground. Luigi hit the sand flat, face down, leaving a comical indent. He moaned. Mario landed buried waist deep in the ground. Wario's went completely under, the only part of him still showing his hands. He felt around for the ground then tried to pull himself up. Mario went to help him as Luigi painfully lifted his face from the ground, spitting dust out.
Once our of the sand, an annoyed Wario said, "What the heck is going on here?" He looked around then added, "Where's Waweegie?" They heard a muffled sound. "Huh?" Wario said, looking down into the hole he'd made. Waluigi was groaning in pain, slowly reaching up with arm bent strangely in more than one place. "What are you-a doing down there? Come here, Wally!" Wario angrily said, reaching down to pull him up. Waluigi wavered unsteadily then shook it off. He viciously scowled at Wario. Wario's angry expression dissipated and he uneasily stepped away.
Waluigi was growling. Just as he was pulling up his sleeve, fist clenched to strike, Luigi cried, "Hey! Over there!" They looked over and spotted wind devils going across the stand. Some hovered on opposite sides of large gaps, large gaps had no wind devils at all. Bullet bills were spread across the whole stretch. Dismally Luigi said, "I can make some of those gaps without the wind's help, but not even I can jump over others. We need to cross them all to get the star!"
"I can swim through air," Waluigi stated, eyes sparkling with want of adventure.
"Over there!" Mario said as he pointed to the right. They looked. There stood a huge tower complete with whomps, thwomps, and jumps not even Luigi could make.
"I can make those high ones with a power up," Wario remarked looking at the heights.
"But only with a power up. You can a hardly jump two feet without," Mario said, uninclined to be usurped by his cousin. Wario scowled but took it with just some grumbling. "I can take-a the left path," Mario remarked, pointing to a well-rounded path practically made for him and his skill set.
"But that leaves me to..." Luigi began. He looked behind at the quicksand traps, wind devils, long and high jumps, and lightning poles complete with dry bones and something that looked dangerous. Luigi shuddered.
"You'll do fine, Weegie," Mario comforted. "Now let's-a split up!"
SMB
Wario bounded towards the first sand twister thing. He leapt in, rising with the wind. At the top he leapt from it, helicoptering through the air towards the next one. He had to admit he was slightly worried. If felt like he was going down too fast. Just then he felt the wind funnel dragging him back up and sighed in relief. Now that he knew he could make it, if only barely, Wario was fine. He was nothing if not persistant. No sand-nado was getting the best of him. He resigned himself to that pattern and went through each of the seven twisters before finally touching down on solid stone. He chuckled and headed to a row of reinforced boxes. He charged through them easily enough and quickly after came up to the first high ledge. At the base he saw a bean shaped object, the power-up he'd been looking for. He bounded to it as fast as he could go and ate it. He charged up, squatting and scrunching his face in concentration. He let out a Wario Waft that launched him into the sky, higher than his usual's did, and soared upward!
Reaching the ledge he continued along, breaking his way through crates or weak walls. At each ledge he repeated the cycle. Enemies were run over with a charge attack and all in all he was having a pretty easy time of this. Soon he came to a steep slope. "Huh?" he said in outrage. He began raging over the block then finally looked around. "Ah hah," he said, eyes lighting up as he spotted a familiar glint. Facing the wall he charged it. He cried out joyously upon finding his bike. He ran to it, embracing it. He kissed it then led it out. Setting his sights on the ramp, he laughed and climbed on. He revved it up, peeling up it and purposely running over any enemy he could, dodging or trying to dodge obstacles he couldn't smash. Once up the ramp, the bike went a little ways farther before Wario saw a road block. No jump was near, which meant he had to leave his baby. He whimpered, reluctantly climbing off it. He patted it then gloomily went to the power-up. Once over the blockade he became his old self, racing through the obstacles up the tower.
Soon the way cleared of obstacles, but the whomps and thwomps still remained. A whomp slammed down right in front of him. Angrily Wario charged it twice, destroying it. He did this through all three. Then came the thwomps. Wario waited for the back of the first to turn. Once it had, he charged it twice. A second soon appeared. Impatient, Wario ground pounded shaking the level, making the thwomp fall as well as making a bunch of coins fall from the sky over it. He got rid of the thwomp then greedily took the money and star bits. He was close to the top. As he jumped up the last ledge he saw a luma holding a life-up sign as well as a health-up one. Seeing Wario it said, "Luma lee luma lee bop welcome to the luma shop. I can sell you something useful for only thirty star bits."
"Thirty?!" Wario roared. The luma squealed and flew higher. Wario began to mutter. Looking ahead he saw a Goomba running at him. Wario chomped on it then continued onward. He spotted the power star guarded by a big dust devil with eyes. He was about to try and charge it, but just then he noticed some floating garlic! He grinned maliciously and went to it, gobbling it down. He returned to face the dust devil, burping loudly. It grimaced and squealed at the scent then blew away. Wario laughed, reaching the star.
Desert Paths: Swimming The Desert Trail
Mario hadn't even broken a sweat fetching the star he'd been after. Before Wario had even finished his own path, Mario had finished and paused to wait for the others. Now only Waluigi and Luigi needed to reach theirs. Waluigi jumped into the first wind devil and helicoptered across a gap to another wind devil, then another. Finally, reaching solid ground, he started to run. A Goomba charged at him, but he shot a thorn vine at it. He saw another big gap, unaided by dust devils, but easily long jumped across. Most enemies that came near were easily defeated. A bird tried to impale him but he just moved out of the way and stomped on it repeatedly when it got stuck in the sand, burying it deeper until it was defeated. He rode another wind devil across a gap and landed on solid ground. Seeing thorns in his way, he summoned them to him removing them. A Bullet Bill shot towards him, but Waluigi pulled out his tennis racket, hitting it back. He laughed as it struck the cannon then moved forward, not watching his step. Next thing he knew he was waist deep in sand trying to get out! He reached solid ground, hauling his body away from the quick sand. He looked around for a wind devil. Seeing none, he grumbled. The proverbial light bulb suddenly went off in his head as he looked around once more. "Ah ha!" he exclaimed. A mushroom that looked like wind swirling around. Grabbing it, he summoned wind and swam over the gap. Landing safely, he chuckled.
Suddenly a giant dry bones popped out! He cried out in alarm as it began chasing him. A thorny flower appeared up ahead. Grabbing it he put into effect his vine wall, leaving a trail of thorns to slow it down. He managed to box it in and safely continued on to another gap. Summoning wind, he once more swam across to safety. Eventually he reached a wall covered in thorns. He cleared them and spotted a crack. He quickly slid through. He smiled victoriously on seeing the star up a wall. Another thorny flower was nearby. He grabbed the power-up and summoned his vines to make a ladder. Swiftly he scaled the wall. Triumphantly he cheered as he reached the star.
Desert Paths: Running From Cylinder Rock Roll
Luigi rode the wind devil to his trail. No sooner had he done this when a loud bang was heard from behind. Luigi, shaking, turned only to see a sinister looking cylinder made of rock! It laughed then began to roll after him! Luigi cried out in terror, running from it. He leapt over the long jump trap then back flipped over a wall and began running. He jumped over or stomped on Dry Bones in his way. All the while the cylinder remained chasing him.
He high jumped to a ledge only to hear it collapsing behind him, being mowed down by the now faster cylinder. He looked desperately around for something, anything. His eyes fell on it. Up ahead he saw his lightning power-up! Running to it, he seized it, feeling the energy course through him. This delay, however, cost him, as the rolling cylinder was almost on top of him! Desperately Luigi summoned lightning to strike it. It jumped, giving Luigi a head start, but still it sped after him.
He saw lightning poles up ahead along the path. Each one he struck as he passed. Leaping up another high platform, he saw a group of them. He desperately zapped them all then ran to the edge. However, he was forced to stop, barely freezing before running off it. He realized in horror that there was nowhere else to run! Panicked, he turned to see the cylinder appear up the ramp rolling right for him! This was it, he fearfully thought as it came nearer. After all he'd been through this was how he died?! He hadn't even gotten to say goodbye to Daisy. As the cylinder reached the midst of the poles, his senses suddenly came back to him and he desperately summoned thunder!
Once more everything became trapped in a negative zone, slowing to a crawl. Luigi sensed his eyes glowing green-white. He raised his hands upwards, the rock slowly nearing him. The green super charged lightning bolt struck the cylinder so forcefully that the platform shook and the roar of the thunder echoed! The others all turned in either shock or, in Mario's case, fear. Luigi saw the star appear but felt himself toppling over the edge in slow motion! Suddenly the star started flying towards him! Luigi closed his eyes, preparing to hit quicksand. All at once the power star flew down to him with a sudden burst of speed as everything went normal! He landed on it, instantly being transported away!
Observatory: Roses and Letters
Wario, Waluigi, and Mario arrived at the observatory. "What the heck was that?!" Wario yelled as they landed.
"Green thunder and lighting," Waluigi answered in shock.
"Weegee, where's Weegee?!" Mario, breathing heavily, cried out. A chill shot through him on seeing his brother wasn't there. The other two looked at him in stunned silence.
"You don't think..." Wario began.
"Green Bean's gone?" Waluigi asked, still in shock. All of a sudden he burst into tears. The other two looked at him, stunned. "But there were so many ways I'd planned to torment him!" Waluigi wailed. "Now I'll never get to again! He wasn't supposed to be the one of us to die! Where will Waweegee find another victim?!" Mario shook his head in denial. Wario sniffed but tried to simply shrug it off.
"Don't cry papa Waluigi!" four nearby lumas cried.
"Papa?! Again?!" Wario asked.
Waluigi had paled. "Oh heck no!" he suddenly yelled. "I'm-a not your papa!"
"Hey guys!" a voice called suddenly from above. The three looked up. Suddenly Luigi landed with the star. Frowning at Waluigi, he said, "So many ways to torment me, huh? Bring it on."
"Weegee!" Mario exclaimed, hugging his brother.
Wario cleared his throat, grunted, then murmured, "G-good to have you back little cousin."
"You're alive! I won't have to find someone else to torture after all!" Waluigi exclaimed, brushing passed the lumas with a relieved expression on his face.
"I'm touched," Luigi flatly replied, frowning. Turning to Wario with a teasing smile, he added, "I never knew you cared."
"I don't," Wario defended.
"People, we've-a still got to get to Peach and Rosalina," Waluigi interrupted, gesturing to the launch star.
"Maybe you and Wario should look over the Observatory. You know, to figure out where things are," Mario suggested.
"What, and let you and Luigi get all the adventure?" Wario questioned.
"Wario..." Waluigi said quietly.
"What Waluigi?" Wario asked.
Waluigi went to his brother and whispered, "Think of the valuables. Coins, star bits, all ours for the taking without Rosalina guarding them."
Wario looked from his cousins to his brother, undecided. He stayed staring at Waluigi a moment, then turned once more to their cousins. "Stay here," he warned.
"Of course. We couldn't do anything without you," Mario sarcastically replied, but he did turn to go to Yoshi instead of to the star.
"Where's the safe?" Wario asked. Luigi looked at him incredulously. "Fine, with or without you I'll find the valuables sooner or later," Wario sneered. He set off, grumbling. Luigi looked inquiringly at Waluigi, then questioningly at Rosalina's bedroom. Waluigi nodded. Luigi sighed then shook his head, heading for Toad and the brigade. Waluigi harrumphed, heading for Rosalina's bedroom.
SMB
On entering Rosalina's room, Waluigi found it dark. No lights were on. He looked around at the outlines of furniture. Moonlight suddenly spilled through the windows, lighting up the room. Then he saw the vase. His lips slowly parted as he noticed the five roses. The letters and now uncrumpled note were lined in front of them, facing the bed. Not sure whether or not to believe what he was seeing, he moved up to them and felt the petals. His stomach did some weird fluttering thing he didn't like and he tried to ignore it, focusing on the roses with eyes wide. Solemnly he turned, swiftly walking out of the room. He saw Wario passing, chuckling evilly with coins spilling from his pockets. Waluigi grabbed his arm. "Hey!" Wario cried as his little brother pulled him along behind him.
Seeing Mario, Waluigi grabbed him as well, dragging him away from Yoshi. "Whow!" Mario exclaimed.
Waluigi pulled Mario and Wario in front of him then reached out, seizing Luigi. "Hey!" Luigi protested.
Waluigi shoved them all along, herding them to the launch star. "Come on!" he ordered.
"What's-a going on!" Wario demanded.
"Rosalina's waiting," Waluigi simply replied. Wario raised an eyebrow in surprise. Luigi blinked then nodded understandingly.
Mario face-palmed. "Mama mia," he said Next thing they knew, they were in the launch star.
A second planet lit up. Waluigi touched it, sending the group flying. "Wah!" Wario and Waluigi screamed, flailing.
"Yahoo!" Mario and Luigi simultaneously cheered.
Winding Sand Roads: The Great Race Through The Desert
They managed to land relatively gracefully. Luigi almost lost his balance on the edge he had landed near. Desperately he waved his arms, trying to gain his footing. As Luigi cried out in fear, feeling himself falling, Waluigi reflexively reached out, pulling him back. Mario sighed in relief. "Hey you guys," Toad suddenly said from nearby. "So you're still working together even now, huh?" Muttering he added, "This will be interesting." Looking up he said, "There are power stars up ahead."
The four looked along the trail, at each other, then jumped to the first floating platform wordlessly. Mario led the way running, stomping the frontal threats. Waluigi and Luigi branched to the left and right, getting those ones. Wario charged through whatever enemies the others missed from behind. Suddenly Mario slid to a stop. "Whoa!" he exclaimed. Luigi and Waluigi hardly had time to react. Both gasped in alarm, trying to stop but unable. The younger pair cried out as they fell off the edge! Waluigi twisted, grabbing on with one hand. Luigi turned in the air, grabbing Waluigi around the waist. Wario barely managed to stop directly behind Mario, having to bend his body so that he wouldn't collide with his cousin knocking them off as well.
"H-help!" both Waluigi and Luigi cried.
"What are you doing down there? That's dangerous," Wario said in an annoyed tone. Mario, who had been gazing open mouthed down at the his little brother and cousin, looked at Wario in disbelief. "What's a matter?" Wario asked. "Just pull them up." He reached down, hauling the younger duo up, both of them crying out in alarm at the sudden uplift.
"How are we gonna get across?" Mario asked, brushing it off now that the other two were safe.
"Jump," Luigi replied like it was obvious. He long-jumped across easily. Waluigi smirked at their older brothers as if they were stupid, then followed Luigi. Mario and Wario stared in uncertainty at the gap.
"What are you, stupid? We can't make that!" Wario protested.
Waluigi and Luigi exchanged looks and turned back, trying to come up with a solution. "Get back here and throw us across!" Mario said.
The younger brothers grimaced. "Are you a crazy?! We can't lift you up let alone throw you!" Waluigi protested.
Blue Toad, who stood nearby, rushed up. "Excuse me, but I couldn't help but over hear your conversation. One of you alone couldn't throw them, but perhaps together... Just a thought."
After a pause in which Luigi and Waluigi were looking at the bespectacled Toad in surprise, Waluigi replied, "Who asked you?" Nonetheless, he leapt back. Luigi apologetically looked at Blue Toad and followed.
The two younger looked ponderously at their chubby older relatives. Both grimaced then looked reluctantly at each other. Unwillingly they seized each other's wrists. "Hop on," Luigi ordered. Mario and Wario looked at each other in confusion then back.
"Let's-a go," Mario said as he climbed onto the arm swing.
The younger duo began swinging their arms. "A one, a two, a three, let's-a go!" they chanted. With that they tossed Mario across.
"Out of my way. Let's see what's-a going on here," Wario said going to the two. They joined once more. Wario examined the swing then, satisfied, jumped on their arms. Both cried out in surprise, bending almost to the ground, barely holding Wario's bulk up. Knees knocking, both panting, they slowly lifted Wario up again.
"A one, a two, a three, let's a go!" they cried again. They grunted as they tossed Wario over, then sagged to the ground against each others backs panting.
"Come on you two!" Mario called. They grimaced at him as they looked over, then reluctantly stood, not looking forward to next time. They jumped to join their siblings.
"Mario, you've-a gotta lose a few pounds," Luigi bitterly said.
Angrily Waluigi bent over Wario yelling, "Wario, lay off the pizzas!"
"It's muscle!" Wario defended.
"Yeah, what Wario said," Mario chimed, insulted. Waluigi and Luigi grumbled, rolled their eyes, and continued onward.
Soon they came to a wall in the way. Wario shoved passed, saying, "Let-a me through." He shoulder charged at it, but when he connected the wall didn't break! He vibrated right back to the others.
The others looked in disbelief. "Well if Wario can't get through, how will we?" Mario asked.
"Look, there's a hole up there," Luigi replied. The other three looked.
"Luigi, Mario and me can't get through that!" Wario said angrily.
"Waluigi and I can," Luigi replied.
"So?!" Wario demanded.
"There might be something on the other side we can use to help you two pass," Waluigi said, catching Luigi's train of thought.
"Good idea Waluigi," Mario said.
"I guess it's the only chance we've-a got," Wario reluctantly agreed. Without waiting for confirmation, Wario suddenly picked up Waluigi and threw him like a javelin through the hole! Waluigi cried out in terror.
Luigi cringed beginning to shake, casting an uncertain look at Mario. Mario smiled mischievously, making Luigi swallow. "Bro, you wouldn't! You couldn't!" Luigi said.
Mario rolled his eyes affectionately, then bent down cupping his hands. Luigi sighed in relief and stepped on, hands on Mario's shoulders for balance. He smiled as he found it, just about to turn, when Mario suddenly threw him up! He cried out as Waluigi had and went through the hole, back facing down instead of stomach. Wario laughed like a maniac. Mario too began to laugh.
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On the other side, Luigi landed on a slowly reviving and rising Waluigi, winding him and knocking him back down. Both younger brothers dazedly stood. Hearing the laughter of the shorter pair, Waluigi angrily said, "I say we leave them behind."
Luigi looked towards the path and grimaced. "I would agree, but..." he began. He tapped Waluigi's shoulder, making him turn. Waluigi gasped as he saw thick walls only Wario could go through and areas requiring quick stops only Mario could do. Neither of the taller had a chance of making them. He sighed deeply then began muttering as he turned to scrutinize the wall and surrounding area for some switch or other. Luigi shook his head at the path.
"Hey, what's-a going on there beanpole?!" Wario called.
"Working on it, Wario!" Waluigi called back, agitated and annoyed. "Idiot. He may be good at electronics, but it's obvious who the smart one is," Waluigi impatiently said.
"Mm hmm, who?" Luigi replied, distracted.
Waluigi seized him making him cry out. "Are you a hinting at something green bean? You think Wario's smarter?!"
"Wha? No!" Luigi cried. Waluigi sneered. Luigi cringed, looking fearfully around. His eyes lit up. Desperately he cried, "Hey, look!"
"Yeah right," Waluigi said.
"A switch," Luigi insisted. Waluigi turned and gasped on seeing it. Luigi sighed in relief, wiping his forehead. Waluigi placed him down then rushed to it, pulling. The wall slowly began to move up. Mario and Wario ran through.
"Whew, I thought someone was going to die," Mario exclaimed in relief.
"Someone got lucky," Waluigi replied, disdainfully looking at Luigi who grinned sheepishly. "Look ahead and you'll see why we didn't just a leave you."
Mario and Wario looked. Wario laughed. "Is this all? Let me at it." Wario lead the way towards the walls. He charged through them all, laughing maniacally. The others ran to keep up.
"Wario gets fast when he's charging," Mario remarked.
"He's still slow and stupid," Waluigi muttered.
"Try and keep up!" Luigi challenged them as he came alongside Wario.
Waluigi muttered, "Why that little green bean." He put on a burst of speed, trying to keep up. He barely caught up to Luigi, but he was able to keep pace.
Soon they were through the walls, but abruptly Wario gasped, sliding to a stop. He threw out his arms shouting, "Whoa Luigi!" Luigi slammed into the muscular arm, falling down right before going under a crushing path! Waluigi, though, slid right under, trying to stop!
"Waluigi!" Mario exclaimed, rushing passed Wario and Luigi and dragging Waluigi out from under it!
Waluigi cried out in alarm. When the shock passed he shot a dagger look at Wario, scowling. "Wrong relative!" he shouted.
"He couldn't even reach you!" Luigi half defended, grateful to Wario for saving his life.
"Shut up Mr. Eyeballs!" Waluigi barked. Turning to Mario, he said, "Grazie."
"No problem," Mario replied. "Let-a me handle this." Mario took off without awaiting confirmation. He barely made it under one wall, then wall jumped upwards. He made it to a ledge then bolted for the next safe area. Luigi was biting his nails. Wario was picking his nose watching in mild interest waiting for when Mario would screw up. Waluigi shook his head at his brother, checked his wrist as if looking at the time, then watched, bored, as Mario neared the end.
"He's not gonna make it, he's not gonna make it," Luigi muttered. Mario saw safety as he ran, now low to the ground. He instantly put on a burst of speed, reaching safe ground. He slid to a stop, barely avoiding being crushed by the opposite falling wall. Determinedly he carried on until he saw the top and the switch. Safely going to it, he ground pounded. The floor continued moving only a few seconds more then stopped. A convenient path for the others was now laid out. They swiftly rushed onward, wall jumping when needed.
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Soon all four met up together at the top. They nodded to each other and hurried on. They soon reached an area that split into four different paths. They each looked uncertainly down each path, then at each other. There were signs in front of each. On the far right was Wario's picture, next to it Luigi's, then Waluigi's, then Mario's. Incidentally that was the exact order they stood in. "But how did anything here know...?" Luigi began.
"Don't question it," Mario cut off. Luigi nodded in agreement and the four split up.
As soon as Wario set foot on his path, a small garage popped up with a 'W' over the door. Wario's eyes brightened with hopeful tears. He burst into crazy laughter, charging towards it. Throwing open the door he exclaimed, "Yes! Oh yes!" His bike! He leapt on it laughing, then glanced at the other roads only to see his family looking at him like he was crazy. Probably not far from the truth. He grinned at them. "What?" he said. Immediately he tore off with a wheelie.
"Yet another thing he cares more about than me," Waluigi self-piteously complained.
"You weren't there when we told him you had been killed," Luigi chastised.
"What did he do? Laugh!" Waluigi shot.
"When he thought we were joking," Mario said. "But when we convinced him we weren't, he left without a word. He stopped fighting. He couldn't believe us. He kept saying your name and his nick names for you, kept thinking it wasn't true. He took it harder than we thought he would. Harder than he expected to. I'd think you'd have realized that in Iggy's galaxy."
Luigi cut in. "Next time we fought him, before you came back, I swear he'd been crying. It wasn't visible, but the mourning look he gave told it all. Not even we knew he cared. Ask him what his reaction was."
"Wario would never tell," Mario stated. "He probably doesn't even know what crying is." Waluigi looked a cross between shocked, touched, and unconvinced. His eye twitched then he headed down his path, taking his thorn power-up. Mario and Luigi smiled at each other then started off. "Last one there is a loser," Mario challenged.
"Okie-dokie," Luigi replied speeding ahead of Mario. Mario blinked in surprise. Hmm, maybe that wasn't his best idea. He frowned, grabbing his fire power-up and going after his brother. He wasn't going to give Luigi victory without a challenge.
SMB
Wario rode along a little too happily on his bike, even whistling as he ran over enemies. He jumped off it begrudgingly to break down a wall before climbing right back on, facing the winding, looping, wavy trail. He saw a jump and sped up laughing. He hit it, soaring over some walls, then did a trick. He saw a half-pipe section of track filled with gaps in the ground that would doubtless result in a fall to doom. He rode it in ecstasy, laughing, and made it across cheering himself.
Luigi ran down his path, jumping on creatures to avoid getting taken out by them. In front of him he saw a lightning bolt. He hesitated but took it nonetheless. He continued on, wall jumping up a wall he had to high jump to with a side flip. Soon after, he long jumped across a gap. There he saw a wall blocking his way that was attached to a rope. He saw a lightning pole and shocked it, hardly slowing as the wall lifted out of his way. Bigger enemies were beginning to get in his way agitating him, making him nervous. He pressed on determinedly. A cave neared. He stopped right before entering. He could have sworn he saw the glow of a boo, or two, or three, or more. He began shivering. He looked at Mario's path, crossing over his own like a bridge, and spotted his brother watching him. Even from that distance Luigi could swear he saw a smirk appear. Luigi frowned determinedly, took a breath, then charged into the cave screaming a battle cry that sounded more like a shriek of terror than it should have. He shocked anything that moved. A boo appeared beside him. He cried out, trying to zap it, but the bolt went through. Luigi saw a pole up ahead. Hoping it would do something useful, he shocked it. Suddenly the cave was lit up! The boos cried out in fear, poofing away or blowing up. Luigi began to breath easier, even managing to nervously laugh. All at once he burst from the cave cheering, "Yeah! Luigi number one!" He looked for the others' criss-crossing tracks.
Wario continued riding his bike, seeing his star coming closer. Greed came to his eyes as he noticed all the coins and star bits. He began to pay less attention to the dips, hills, and loops than he should have in order to collect them all. More than once he nearly went over the ledge, just swerving in time. Up ahead was a loop around Luigi's path. He sped around it, grabbing coins and star bits as he went. Luigi watched his cousin as Wario reached the top of the loop and began down. Wario went under Luigi's path, coming out the other side laughing. Suddenly he heard a giant whomp! His laughter ceased as he saw it coming down! He'd never make it! He tried to stop the bike, but it slid! The bike made it under, but Wario had fallen off beneath the whomp, about to be crushed! He cried out in terror as it came down!
Luigi, watching on, paled and gasped. Both Waluigi and Mario had seen the fall too and froze, shouting, "Wario!" Luigi swiftly summoned his lightning, sending the bolt right to the giant whomp, blowing it to pieces just as Wario felt the rock brush his skin. Wario looked up in disbelief. He saw from a distance, Waluigi and Mario's shock and relief.
"Wario!" he heard Luigi call. He looked up to see his little cousin waving. "I got you cuz!"
Wario leapt up with a relieved grin and waved happily back. The others started off again and Wario suddenly clued in that it was a race that was going on here. Determined to win it, he jumped onto his bike tearing off grinning. If they wanted to race, fine. They'd race. This time though, he watched his path. Dodging obstacles, he finally came to his star. He rode right into it with his bike, laughing victoriously.
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Luigi raced on, watching the progress of the others. He noticed in annoyance that Wario had reached his star, but he guessed given Wario was on wheels that it wasn't overly surprising. Still Waluigi scowled too, and Mario looked furious at being beat. That fury fueled Mario, driving him to push to his limit. Luigi wasn't about to lose to his brother again, though. Waluigi was enraged to be second to his brother again, but Wario had had an unfair advantage. Still, Waluigi decided he definitely wouldn't be last. Good guys don't always win. Cheaters do prosper. He summoned his thorny vines, sending them shooting across Mario's path.
Mario slid to a stop in surprise, only to set his jaw and send a flaming fire ball through the blockade. He continued running. He looked towards Waluigi and sent his fire blast his way, up passed Luigi who cried out in alarm bending over backwards, barely able to dodge. Waluigi heard Luigi's cry. He turned to see the inferno headed his way. Waluigi cried out in alarm, diving and rolling right under it. Again he sent his thorns, this time over Mario and Luigi's paths. Luigi was forced to stop, looking for a break or low section. Mario burnt right through the layers. Luigi soon found a low section and jumped over. He felt tempted to cheat, but couldn't do it. At least not until Waluigi sent a thorn bush that hit Mario directly, knocking him off the edge.
"Mario!" Luigi cried. He saw his brother clambering back onto the path, one health gone. Luigi scowled at Waluigi then shocked him. Waluigi cried out in pain as he was electrocuted, losing one health. Luigi took the lead.
"Oh no you don't Mr. Eyeballs," Waluigi growled. "If I can't beat Wario, you won't beat Mario!" He sent out his thorns, ensnaring Luigi who struggled violently.
"Hey, help!" Luigi called. Mario didn't even turn. "Mario!" Luigi cried.
This time Mario looked back and gave an exasperated sigh. Without stopping, he tossed a fireball back halfheartedly. Luigi dropped as Waluigi caught up, but Mario was far ahead. Mario shot two fireballs, igniting two torches. The door opened and Mario seized the star.
Now Waluigi and Luigi raced for the end neck in neck. Luigi pulled ahead when Waluigi tripped. He shocked his last pole. There was the star! He reached for it, but just before he touched it vines snatched him from the ground, holding him still. "Hey!" Luigi cried.
Waluigi, laughing, ran to his own star grabbing it. "Waluigi time!" he cried victoriously as he summoned the thorns away from Luigi as he took off. Defeated, Luigi sighed, glumly going to the star.
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Landing back on the Observatory, Luigi dragged his feet towards his family, head down in shame. Wario was taunting Mario. "Crazy eyeball man lost to me, bwahaha!" he said.
"You a had a motor bike! You're as much a loser as a Waluigi!" Mario snapped.
"Luigi is the loser," Waluigi tried to defend.
"So are you!" Wario barked.
"You're a bigger loser than Luigi!" Mario yelled at Waluigi, half defending his brother.
"Hey, he didn't come in last!" Wario in turn said in defence of Waluigi.
"He cheated!" Mario yelled. The two older continued arguing.
Luigi came up beside Waluigi,shoving him hard. Waluigi fell then leapt up, kicking Luigi into the ground then hitting him with his tennis racket! "Uh, M-Mario and family? What about Peach and Rosalina?" Polari nervously interjected. The four stopped their fighting to look at him.
"He's right. Let's-a go," Mario said.
"Brightest idea you've had," Waluigi coldly insulted as he went to the launch star. Luigi dejectedly followed.
"What's with Walu?" Wario asked Mario.
Mario paused to look back at Wario. "Wario, did you a not see the way Waluigi acted around Rosalina? The way he always hurries us when she's-a mentioned?" Wario thought a moment then shook his head. Mario sighed. "Wario, Waluigi likes Rosalina. You know. A lot."
Wario's eyes widened. "Waweegee? Wally likes a good guy?"
"Si, I just a caught on too," Mario flatly said.
"Well that explains why I saw him on the bow of the ship eyes closed that one time. He told me someone was speaking to him. I thought he was crazy," Wario mused aloud.
"She spoke to him?" Mario exclaimed. Wario nodded. Mario twitched. "I wonder what they were saying... Wait, that would explain why Waluigi wrote in a letter that he'd heard she didn't want any more roses before Luigi even told him. It would explain why she took it like she did, his a death that is. Did he respond?"
"How could he?" Wario asked. "Anyway, like we care. Let's-a go," Wario said, dragging Mario who was still shocked behind.
"We suck," Luigi finally said after a long silence between the two thinner brothers.
"You suck," Waluigi replied. Luigi looked at him meekly. Waluigi sighed. "Alright, we suck," he self-piteously agreed. Mario and Wario jumped in with the other two and the group blasted off.
Yoshi Desert: Cacti's Attack
Landing, the four looked ahead only to see a giant cactus in the distance. A luma floated up to them. "Mario and family, you see that cactus up there? We're getting a power star reading from it! Better get to it uh... Bros? Cousins? Mushroom family? Toadstool's Musketeers? Four stooges? Whatever you're collectively called."
They walked, rather ran, a little ways, only to be stopped by the edge. Wario and Waluigi looked confused, but Mario caught sight of a top shaped thing. "Ah ha," he said. He grabbed Luigi, dragging him to it. He picked it up then dove through the ground.
"Huh?" Wario and Waluigi wondered.
Luigi caught on. "Oh yeah, that's what it does!" He too grabbed one, following Mario. Wario and Waluigi looked at each other then copied what their cousins had done. All four came out the bottom only to see a Yoshi egg. Mario stomped on it and out came Yoshi.
"Yoshi!" Yoshi cried. Mario jumped on his back.
"Hey, what about us?" Wario demanded.
Mario looked back as if just realizing their presence. He sighed deeply and answered, "We'll take turns."
"Yoshi!" Yoshi agreed. Yoshi took off and began carting Mario up. Waluigi was next, arriving with a bruise on his face. Mario raised an eyebrow and looked down only to see Wario stomped into the ground and Luigi rising in pain. Apparently there'd been a fight over who came up next. Mario frowned at Waluigi.
"What?" Waluigi innocently asked. Mario rolled his eyes. Soon Wario and Luigi joined them, and soon all four were in place. Luigi and Waluigi hadn't stopped glaring maliciously at the other. Waluigi glanced at Wario, who turned his back coldly. Suddenly three more eggs appeared! The mismatched rival family looked surprise. A yellow egg, a red one, and a blue one sat there. "Yoshi," Yoshi said before continuing to babble, explaining that he had summoned some other Yoshi's from Yoshi's island to help with transporting the family. Mario nodded then climbed onto Red Yoshi's back. Luigi hopped onto Green Yoshi. Waluigi went tentively to Blue Yoshi. Wario leapt onto Yellow Yoshi, making it gasp.
The four began the journey towards the cactus. The Yoshi's kept pace with each other eating enemies, swinging, utilizing all their abilities, until finally they came upon the plant. As they neared it, it began to stir. Suddenly eyes opened up. It's branches became like arms. It angrily looked at them after summing them up and growled. Thorns grew form it that were far larger than normal ones. In an instant the cactus had sent them flying through the air like javelins. The Yoshi's all scattered except the original green. He shot out his tongue, catching one javelin thorn, and shot it back, hitting the cactus.
The Yoshi's began to race around the giant cactus. It could barely keep track of all of them and so it didn't throw out thorns again until it fixed its eyes on Red Yoshi. It shot its harpoon directly at Mario. He and Red Yoshi cried out in alarm. Suddenly Blue Yoshi's tongue shot out, grabbing the harpoon. Mario looked at Waluigi in shock. Waluigi gave a brief evil smile as Blue Yoshi shot the prickle back. Wario and Luigi's Yoshi's joined tongues, spinning each other around like a twister, pulling each other out of harm's way then launching one or the other at the cactus' head, wrapping around it or stunning it.
Wario leapt from his Yoshi's back and bit into the defenceless cactus, eating it down. The others watched in half awe, half horror as the plant was devoured by Wario. Wario fell back patting his stomach and sighing contentedly. His stomach began to gurgle. Alarmed, his relatives cried out and dove, hitting the ground with the Yoshi's. Wario burped a powerful burp, shaking the whole planet. Out of his mouth popped a power star. After a moment, sure nothing more was coming, the others looked up and went to Wario, gawking in disbelief.
Seeing their faces Wario said, "What? I was hungry."
"You're always hungry!" Waluigi replied. "But a giant cactus? Really?"
"I can't help it. I'll eat anything when I'm hungry," Wario defended. Looking at their cousins he emphasized, "Anything." Luigi swallowed, cowering behind Mario. Mario glared at Wario, unimpressed, then walked to the star, Luigi right behind him cautiously eyeing his cousins. Wario and Waluigi chuckled.