Fyras14: Hi, again, everyone…sigh…my internet just doesn't like me…I feared that I wouldn't be able to update today, as the internet doesn't work…good thing that I have to computers, or else you guys would have waited almost a whole week before I could update again.
Putting my internet problems aside, this chapter will introduce a new enemy, as well as a…weapon, if you will.
Please read and review, or criticize, whichever comes first!
"You can have power over people as long as you don't take everything from them. but when you've robbed a man of everything, he's no longer in your power."
-Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn
Chapter 10: An Explosive Encounter, One Evil Mind
Mario took a deep breath as he let the rock fly. He and Aki held their breaths as the rock made its way towards one of the nearby Bob-ombs, who was oblivious to the small projectile that went its way. Everything was calm…until the projectile hit its target. The small bomb jumped in the air, lit its fuse, and then, once in the ground began to ran around like crazy. Their koopa caretakers were busy talking to each other to notice the panicked bomb, while the Toads quickly covered their heads, as the bomb stopped in the middle of a group of Bob-ombs, before….BOOOOOM!!! The koopas and some of the cages were thrown aside, as a group of bombs exploded. This group was quickly followed by another, exploding and destroying the small town more than it already was.
Mario nodded at Aki, as the blue Yoshi made its way towards some of the cages. The red plumber himself got out of his hiding place, and went over towards the koopas, who were more worried about the bombs exploding nearby. One, however, cried out as soon as he saw Mario. "There he is!! Mario is here!! Everyone in position!!" The koopa was only able to sent this small warning before he was kicked in the jaw by the plumber. This sent the koopa backwards, making him hide in his green shell. The other koopas looked back at the man before them, wide eyed, as if they were seeing a ghost. Mario didn't give the koopas to react, however, and quickly kicked the shell near his fit, hitting one of the koopas in the chest. It sent the koopa flying, and the shell that Mario had used to attack him, broke into a million of pieces, revealing the knocked out koopa from within.
One of the koopas took out a hammer, and threw it at Mario. He easily evaded his attack, and then, his hand glowed red. He put both his hands together and released a great fireball, hitting the two koopas that were on his way.(1) A couple of seconds later, all that remained of the Hammer Bros. were their shells, that were burnt to the crisp. A paratroopa in the group flew away, only to be hit by one of the crisped shells that Mario threw towards it. It fell face down, knocked out like the other koopas before him. Noticing that all the koopas were out of the way, Mario looked nearby. The group of bombs not done with exploding. He also smiled when he saw a group of Toads go towards the nearby forest for safety. Aki had done his job, just like the Yoshi said he would. The plumber looked back at the fallen castle before him, remembering what Aki said of some 'big yellow bomb', the guarded it. Mario looked back at the exploding parade before he went running towards the castle.
The plumber wasn't able to reach the castle at all, when a voice called out. "Bri…bri…bri…BROOM!! BROOM!! Hehehehe!!" Mario glanced up, and quickly moved out of the way, as a huge yellow Bob-omb made its way down, almost crushing the small plumber. Mario looked up at his huge foe. This was a yellow, almost golden, colored Bob-omb. However, while the shape was the same there was something odd and even scary about the Bob-omb that stood in front of the plumber. Like its smaller 'friends', this Bob-omb also had eyes, except that they were x shaped like eyes, accompanied by a rather wicked mouth, that seemed to belonged to a pumpkin. Instead of having a fuse, it had two. And the most incredible change all of all was the fact that it didn't have feet, but in their place was a spring.
"What…in the world?" Mario muttered, as he watched the yellow Bob-omb jump in the air.
"Bri…bri…broom!! Broom!! Hehehehe!!" cried the yellow Bob-omb as it came back down, making the world below it shake. Mario almost lost his footing, but jumped and looked back at the rather crazy bomb before it. How was he going to fight a bomb that jumped? Mario went for his options, first. This was a bomb…it could blue up at any given moment, even when the fuse wasn't lit. But, he could carry a bomb this size, no? He after all, had carried a bomb almost this yellow bomb's size before. (2) Mario took a deep breath, and ran towards the bomb, hands extended. The yellow bomb had barely noticed the plumber had moved at all, and stayed still.
The plumber went to grab the bomb…. "AIIIIHAAA!!" Mario quickly took his hands away from the yellow bomb's huge body, and jumped away. He shook his hands wildly, as he stared back at the bomb. Touching the bomb's body had sent shocks all throughout the plumber's body, had not Mario removed his hands quickly, the bomb would have had a chance to squash him like a bug while he was paralyzed.
"Bri…bri!! Hehehehe!!" While Mario was busy shaking his hands, the yellow Bob-omb had turned to face him again, giving him a wicked smile. The plumber quickly recovered, with his hands glowing red, he sent a group of fireballs his way. The fireballs hit its target, only to fall back to the ground and turn to nothing. Mario quickly moved out of the way, as the yellow bomb opened its mouth and tried to eat him. "BRIIII!!! BROOMM!! Hehehehehe!!" The plumber ran around the huge yellow Bob-omb, trying to find a weak spot, a crack in its armor, or even a way to blow it up. As he ran, he noticed that some of the Toads were pointing frantically towards a pair of Bob-ombs, that only stared at Mario as he ran around the yellow bomb.
Behind the plumber, the yellow bomb jumped to catch up to its prey, still smiling like some sort of maniac. Mario glanced behind him, trying to run away from the jumping bomb, in order to think of a plan. What do I do!? I can't touch this thing, much less burn it!! So, what do I…wait, a minute! He looked back at the Toads, who still pointed miserably at the bombs, and then, Mario knew what to do. (3) He made his way towards the immobilize Bob-ombs, with the yellow Bob-omb hopping closely behind. When he was closed to the bombs, he jumped and caught one of them, then he turned to the huge yellow Bob-omb as it made its way towards him, mouth opened wide. I hope this works…Mario then threw the bomb towards the other bigger bomb's opened mouth. Once the bomb fell inside the yellow Bob-omb's mouth, the huge monster closed its mouth, and then, began to jump like crazy as its two fuses lit up. The yellow bomb gave two, three, four hops, before the bomb inside of it, exploded. Then, it went back down, its two fuses were not lit, once again.
Mario gasped as he inspected the damage; the bomb had only managed to crack its yellow armor. It looked back at Mario before it jumped once again, and the plumber turned back to grab the bomb that remained nearby. He wasn't able to reach the bomb on time, as the yellow Bob-omb crushed it under its spring, making the small Bob-omb explode. "BRRRIIIIII!! BRIIII!! BROOOM!! BROOOMMM!! Hehehehehe!!" Mario, quickly, rolled out of the way, as the bomb began to chase him, threatening to squash him as it jumped. The plumber looked around the area, trying to spot a live Bob-omb walking nearby. He spotted none. Now I'm beginning to think that getting rid of the Bob-ombs around here wasn't such a good idea!
Mario tried running towards the castle, wanting to use what remained of it, for cover. He barely reached the castle steps, before the yellow Bob-omb landed in front of him, giving him that sickly grin. The plumber took a couple of steps back, and began to run away once more, convinced that that bomb wasn't going to let him go anywhere near the castle, that meant no protection and a sudden death. He kept on running, and then, he saw it. A small bomb was still walking nearby, oblivious to the fight that was taking place in front of him. Mario only prayed that the yellow bomb had not seen the bomb, and he ran towards it. The yellow bomb happened to notice its smaller brother, and quickly jumped in the air, wanting to take care of Mario's only hope for survival. Mario ran, the yellow Bob-omb made its way down, and then… "Off!!" Mario grabbed the small bomb with his hands, and rolled out of the way as the yellow bomb slammed its body towards the ground.
"BRIIII!! BROOOMM!!" It cried, opening its mouth wide. First mistake. Mario, quickly saw this, and threw the ticking bomb towards it. The yellow Bob-omb had little time to close its mouth, as the smaller bomb entered its huge mouth. Closing it, the bomb lit its two fuses, and began to jump like crazy. After a couple of jumps, the bomb that it had eaten exploded. Instead of exploding, as Mario had expected, this bomb began to crack. Every part of its body began to slowly rip open, and then, it fell to the ground, part of it cut in half, slowly decaying. Mario made his way, slowly towards the remains of his opponent, keeping his guard up.
"…that thing wasn't a normal bomb," he muttered as he walked towards it. "…but, it wasn't a machine either, just what was it that--" Mario didn't get to finish, as he gasped of what he saw leaving the remains of the yellow Bob-omb's body.
The star, unlike some of the other stars Mario had seen, was black in color. It had the same face that those other stars showed, but, instead of the neutral stare, this star showed a glare. The shadow star floated in the air for a couple of seconds, before it then, exploded into millions of pieces, forever to be forgotten. It took Mario a few minutes to finally recover his voice. "What…was that?" And then, just as the star before him, the remains of the yellow Bob-omb, too, were destroyed.
"I don't know how to thank you, properly, Ludwig," Mr. L told the koopa, as both walked down the dark halls of the Koopa Fortress. Ludwig shook his head, smiling at the plumber.
"It was nothing science couldn't fix," the koopa explained. Both of them stopped in front of a door, that Mr. L opened and both he and the koopa entered the room.
King Bowser's throne room had remained largely the same, from the exception of the huge Bowser statue that decorated the place from the corner. Ludwig made his way towards the throne, followed closely behind by Mr. L. "A matter of science, indeed…but still, I can't thank you enough." Ludwig nodded at the man, as he sat in his throne.
"Well, the thanking aside, friend…what do you plan on doing about Mario? He still must be alive…my hammer is nothing compared to your thunder, and I doubt he perished when I hit him."
"He, still, is my rival…I plan to eventually eliminate him, yet, I feel that I owe you my services, seeing as you saved the princess from her malady, so if you would be so kind, Koopa King, as to accept my services as payment for your help in returning Daisy to her former self as my thanks." Ludwig waved his hand at the bowing man before him.
"There is no need, really," he told him. "but, if you wish to repay me that way, then, do s--"
"BROTHER!!" The koopa and the plumber turned to find Wendy O., already red with rage. The young koopa glared daggers at Ludwig, as she slowly walked towards her older brother and boss. "Ludwig, how could you!? I told you specifically, that I wanted that Peach's Castle as my own, why did you blew it up!?" Ludwig shook his head, as if embarrassed, and gave Wendy O. a rather mocking, yet ashamed look.
"Do forgive me, dear sister…the princess, wasn't taking too kindly to my 'invasion'…I was forced to use…well, force. And as you can see, the end result…"
"End result!? You practically shattered that castle in two!! But, but I told you!!" Wendy O. cried, stomping her feet on the ground like some sort of spoiled child. "I WANTED THAT CASTLE!!! WHY DIDN'T YOU LISTEN!?"
"Keep on complaining, sister, and I will see you fit for the dungeons." Ludwig said, his voice taking a commanding tone. Wendy O. stopped her spoiled act immediately, and grumbled.
"But, I wanted a castle…"
"Quiet! Leave before I change my mind!" Wendy O. didn't say nothing, as she left the room. After she was gone, Mr. L turned to Ludwig.
"I…I do dare say, that this sister of yours is no lady, rather, she's a dragon dressed in a tutu!" Ludwig sighed, and nodded back at the plumber.
"Tell me about it. And now, my friend, we were talking about your services, y--" Ludwig couldn't finished, as someone interrupted their conversation. "Sister, I already told you that--"
"Sir!! Master Ludwig!!" Ludwig quickly turned to face the red shelled koopa that stood in front of him, shaking all over.
"What is it?" Ludwig asked his servant.
"Mario, sir!" At the mentioned of the red plumber's name, Mr. L's eyes seemed to flash dangerously, making the red shelled koopa gulp. "He…he defeated Golden-bomb, sir!!(4) And not only did he defeat Golden-bomb, but also the army of Bob-ombs and the koopa scouts that were sent to guard the fallen town and castle!!"
"Do you know Mario's whereabouts?" Ludwig asked calmly, after the red shelled koopa finished speaking.
"He…he is heading towards Knut-Nut Harbor, sir…straight towards the fortress…" Ludwig stood silent for a couple of minutes, before he dismissed the koopa messenger.
"…Leave." The red shelled koopa bowed, and left the room as quickly as he had gotten in. I put to much hope in that invention of mine…even a Bob-omb corrupted by star power wasn't able to take care of Mario! I must work on the Shadow Stars power more…the last thing I want is for my whole operation to fall apart.
"Ludwig, Koopa King," Mr. L called, shaking Ludwig from his thoughts. "Allow me to go and fetch that man, for not only those he deserve to suffer the cruelest death, but also to pay back for what he did to a beautiful lady." Ludwig looked at Mr. L for a while, and then, something clicked. He then, shook his head at the plumber.
"No, that would be asking too much on my part…allow me to send one of my brothers to take care of this mess. He will be knocked out and brought here, and you, my friend will be able to continue your duel with that despicable man." Ludwig jumped out of his throne, and nodded at Mr. L. He then, turned to leave, muttering something so low, that Mr. L couldn't hear him. "….Roy will really enjoy seeing Mario again…oh, he will indeed."
Some things to sort out, first!:
1-Consider this attack a powered up, fireball attack...
2-You guys remember that very first level in Super Mario 64, right? You get your first star after beating a huge Bob-omb in a platform…it gave me headaches just to climb up there.
3-I always thought Mario as a slow thinker, its not like he would have known how to defeat that big bomb from the start.
4-Golden-bomb, if you haven't already guessed, is the name of the yellow bomb that Mario fought earlier in the chapter.
Well, if my internet keeps on having problems I might not update for a while, but don't worry, I will probably have the chapters I want to post already done! Hope you leave a review!
Edit-My internet has returned! Maybe, the updates might come sooner!