CHAPTER 10: An atmospheric gift

"Mario!" Sukari hailed. And the small man jolted at the sound of his name. He almost tripped over his foot as he had been running, and having been called almost gave him an excuse to catch his breath back. The urgency in Sukari's voice grabbed him.

"Mario! Wait, it's a trap. Bowser plans to kill you!" Sukari knew as he was already approaching the foot of the mountains, and without anything to defend himself with, that he was about to put himself in grave danger. The lioness leaped in front of Mario, trying to affect his next decision.

"He's got Luigi!" Mario yelled. Then he paused for second and said, "What has he done to him?" in his last few words his tone grew quieter but more tense, and his eyes were concentrated on Sukari.

"Yes he has, and you have to do something, but for crying out loud, he's got four koopa troopers including himself in there; you need a weapon."

And Mario continued to stare at her for a few seconds and then nodded.

"You're right…but what?" And his eyes scanned the brush that was surrounding them. Then he snatched up a stick he had found near his feet.

"That won't do any good, Mario." And she held out a closed paw, strained and opened it. "Here, that's my last fire flower." And Mario took it and thanked her. "Are you injured?" Sukari asked.

"No I'm fine. Just let me go." But as the plumber prepared himself to run, Sukari stopped him abruptly again by saying his name.

"You'll never make it in time. Hop on my back." And the lioness crouched down to invite him on. Mario's expression at first changed from determined to surprise, but unexpectedness had been his life for a while now, and he forced himself to get over the idea, and quickly hopped onto the lioness' back.

"Hold tight." She shouted. And the kick-off threw Mario into the air, but he managed to grope the scruff of her neck to catch himself in time with one hand, and at a progressive rate, they moved like the wind.

All Mario could see, was the thick green wilderness rushing past him like his inner turmoil. His vision was blurred by a heavy blast of cold wind, which irritated his eyes, and he gritted his teeth, wishing for the time to fly as fast as possible.

Bowser felt great enjoyment at this time. He saw his future dreams unfolding in his mind; so close he could almost embrace them. And he snapped into awareness, suddenly remembering his first long-awaited pleasure, to destroy the Mario brothers.

Luigi cared greatly for the well being of all the innocent lives, which were endangered at this moment, and a wave of worry hit him whenever he thought about having lost. Had he? Was this the end? But his heart kept interrupting his mind with screams, and these were for his brother, who's questionable fate put him in agony.

Was Mario coming? He didn't know the answer, because he had no clue as to whether he was alive or dead. And if he was he wounded, bleeding to death, somewhere in the woods, to be ravaged by cats and lower wild beasts? Then had they lost? It was now suddenly clear to Luigi,until Mario arrives at the scene,assuming he is alive,the fate of the universe rests on me…

The two koopas were still holding Luigi restrained by the arms. The portalstone, another heart-stopping factor, was just inches away from his back. The only thing the minions needed to hear was a single order from Bowser, and Luigi wouldn't be able to help himself any more. This meant that now was his chance to act, while the koopas least expected it. He hadn't tried to fight himself free in a while, and they were supposedly under the impression that he had given up trying. So now was the time.

Luigi's eyes widened, and as fast as his strength would allow him, he thrust his arms away from the koopas' hands, and tried to run forward, but he was too fast for his weak body. He groaned as his legs collapsed under him, he had not realised how much energy the portalstone had already stolen from him. The koopas were shocked, but Bowser screamed at them, and they immediately rushed to scoop Luigi back up. The weak plumber forced himself back onto his feet once more, but staggered again, as they hauled him away.

"Tie him to the stone!" Bellowed the angered Bowser. "And make sure it's tight!" he then stepped over to him, raised a paw, and slashed into his chest with his claws, the man screamed.

"That's for my troubles!" Grinned Bowser. And he laughed with amusement at Luigi's pleas, as the boss koopa stepped forward and rammed him backward, while the three smaller ones, supplied with rope, constricted him against the portalstone. Three loops were made around his stomach and the stone; they pulled it so tight he was forced to gasp for air. Now he was fastened to it, incapable of moving, he was in a horrific state of pain. He tried to suppress his screams, not wanting to show Bowser his pain, but he failed.

"Luigi!" The angered shriek tore in from Mario's throat and shook the very walls of the cavern.

Driven into action, the red and blue plumber had already leaped off of Sukari and drew up his fists at Bowser in a striking pose; he was flower-powering up – his clothes changing to white and orange in accordance, but he was barely able to take his eyes off the screaming, contorting man that was his brother.

"A fire flower!" Jeered Bowser, "Sukari, how dare you betray me?" He had such anger inside him, that it wrinkled the very scales in his face. "Well, it doesn't matter anyway, you don't stand a chance Mario, you might as well give up now." And then he shot a finger at the troopers, "Get him!"

Mario cupped a fireball in his hands. From the depths of his fear and anger, he didn't think, he reacted. Within seconds, the cave was ablaze with flames; Bowser roared, most of them had hit him, and all his troopers, including the boss, fled from the cave, looking like living fireballs, desperate to extinguish themselves in the river.

"You're all fired!" Their boss screamed at them. He slapped at the flames on his stomach and sides, only some of them went out. Then he turned to Mario, who was holding back another handful of fire, he was giving Bowser the chance to surrender first.

"Let Luigi go!" Mario ordered, not sounding as assertive as he had hoped. When Bowser didn't react, he clenched his fists tighter and strengthened his voice, "Untie him. Now!"

Luigi's scream had already weakened in tune with his energy, and had been replaced by noisy, difficult breaths. Bowser stomped up to Mario, so he was close enough to breath down his neck,

"He's dead Mario…and so are you." His giant paw crashed into the small man, and his fireball hit Bowser just as Mario felt himself hit the wall with a great force. He heard Bowser's ear-ripping roar, and then a thunderous crashing sound behind him.

Mario forced himself to his feet, and saw through the corner of his eye that Bowser had collapsed one of the cave walls, but he was somewhere on the other side of it.

Mario groped for the ropes that held Luigi, careless of his own safety, and flinched off them when he touched the portalstone. His heart constricted painfully, the noises Luigi made were like knives to his heart, the silence as his scream was cut short was even worse.

The older brother fought with the thick rope that was killing Luigi, and scolded his hands. Then he stepped back as a thought entered his mind, and he used the last fireball he had, to singe through the rope. Luigi was freed, and he fell into his brother's arms.

"Luigi! Oh, no!" He kneeled, as the weight of him was too much to bear, he put his ear to his brother's chest, listening for a heartbeat, and was afraid he only imagined hearing it until he saw him breathing.

"Mario," Sukari broke in, "he's alive!"

"Oh, Luigi, oh please live, oh please!" Mario's voice cracked and a huge sob welled up in his breast.

Mario bowed his head, sobbed into his brother's limp shoulder a moment, then he heard Sukari next to him.

"The portal should be opening…something's wrong."

Mario was silent as before, not responding to Sukari, possibly ignoring her. There was a rip in Luigi's left arm sleeve where the cat had injured him before, but it didn't bleed, his chest however had angry red claw marks across it, and a bloodstain growing larger.

"I don't know what to do, I…" Mario sat back on his heels, pulled his hand through his hair, and left bloodstains on his face. "I…wait! The Stone! I can heal him!" And his eyes darted around for a moment, "Sukari! Where's the healing stone?" And Sukari bowed her head.

"Mario…The Stone isn't real" The lioness was filled with guilt, "…I lied to you."

"Then how did he get healed?" Mario snapped. "You must have healing powers, heal him!"

And she lifted her head. "…I didn't use any healing…I don't know what happened..."

Just then, Luigi inhaled and sat up, he was conscious, but his arms were flapping like he was having a nightmare, "No! Stop! Mario!"

"Luigi! It's ok, I'm here!" Mario hushed, and he held his brother for a moment to calm him down, then he looked at him, "How do you feel?"

"I feel…fine," he said quietly.

And Mario felt his brother's chest, "Luigi! You're healed…but how?"

Then Sukari padded over to examine him.

"Luigi…" and she almost couldn't believe her eyes, "you can heal!"

"What?" mouthed the younger brother, "but…how can that be?"

"I think this has been going on for a while, Luigi." The lioness began explaining to the shocked faces, "The Stone was a fake, it hadn't done anything…this is a strange world to you, it is possible that you have like, absorbed some power in the atmosphere around Klaw Island, I'm not sure how exactly. It happened to me too, but it'll run out shortly after you get home, into a different galaxy…have you been healing too, Mario?"

"I don't think so, I haven't had any fatal injuries."

Then Luigi looked at his brother's bloodstained face.

"You're still scarred on your face since we went through the thorn bushes" he said "…but are you hurt?"

"No, I'm fine." Mario reassured, "this blood is probably from you."

"We need sunlight in order to finish charging that portalstone." Sukari changed the subject, "We'll never be able to move it out of here, and so here's my plan; we make a hole in the roof of the cave to let in the light-" Her sentence was cut short.

There was a thunderous crashing sound, which echoed the cave walls, and they nearly lost their balance as the ground under their feet began to tremble.

Bowser thumped down in front of them, madder than ever, and Luigi thought he could see steam erupting from his ears. Bowser didn't say anything, just roared at them, and opened his huge jaws, drew in his breath and breathed out a gigantic faming hot blast of fire, directly at them.

Unprepared, the three victims were slow to get to their feet, and Mario was the last to get up. Luigi, who still felt like he was living off the last of his energy, but boosted by his newfound gift, grabbed Mario's collar and pulled him out the way of the flame. Sukari had jumped instinctively, in a trigger reaction, but could smell her own fur had been singed.

"The ceiling is caving in!" Screamed Mario.

"Get between the stones!" Luigi had to scream at the top of his voice, over the loud crashing of the walls, and as they saw what he was about to do, they shrieked; Luigi was going for the portalstone.

"Luigi, no!" And Mario tried to seize him in the opposite direction, "You'll get crushed!"

"He's right, Luigi!" Sukari burst in, "You can heal. You can'tresurrect yourself!"

But Luigi knew that the portal was the only chance of getting home, and he could open the portal with a chance of surviving. If this worked, he definitely wasn't going to make it through the portal, but at least his brother was, and this was what convinced him to do it.

As soon as Luigi threw himself onto the stone, everyone in the cave was almost blinded, and Mario instantly recognised the blue, wavy light, which was growing in the centre of the two stones, and his mind recollected on how he had seen the portal out of his kitchen window.

Luigi was blasted off of the stone with great force, from its new power, and no one could see where he had landed, amongst all of the obscuring rocks falling in the air.

Bowser shielded his eyes, and roared again, this time in defeat, and he dived for the portal, his escape, but before he reached it, he stopped, a large boulder had landed on his head, and it cracked over his skull, and fell. Bowser stood up, shook himself, he had a very thick skull, and after an immediate recovery, he ran the other way. When he was safely outside, they heard his laughter echo into the cave.

"My victory may have been delayed, but at least you are all doomed for good!"

The ceiling broke into increasingly larger pieces, until about twenty boulders, the size of bullet bills, were cascading around them. Sukari dodged them more easily, but she couldn't keep it up much longer, as any trapped animal, her instinct told her she had to get out,

"Mario! Quick! The portal!" She shouted through the obscuring screen of rocks.

Mario was scaling a pile of rocks, in an effort to reach Luigi, but he couldn't see him, had he been buried?

"Come!" he heard Sukari yell, and then he felt himself being lifted off the ground, as Sukari was carrying him by his overall straps in her mouth. Mario struggled,

"Let go!" he screamed, reaching with is arms in the other direction, but Sukari was already leaping into the portal. Just as they were through, two rocks smashed the portalstones to pieces, and each individual piece flickered for a moment as it hit the ground, and then faded out to black.