A/N: I present... wait for it... another chapter! I have artwork for this story on my deviantart account. The link to it is on my profile. Also, I use Segali, not Mario, as the Mario Bros. last name. Please don't be offended by this or anything. The movie is the only source of that name that I know of. Besides, Segali just has a certain ring to it, you know? Enjoy, read, and review!
CHAPTER 14: Trust and Lies
The eleven wolves who'd escaped with the help of the former princess now bounded towards the forest, the old she-wolf running as fast as she could. One, however, kept looking back at the now helpless wolf. He ran back to help, but the others pressed on, eventually coming across a confused Luigi and Timber.
Luigi raised his hammer at the oncoming wolves, but relaxed his arm as he saw they were running in fear. An old wolf looked him in the eye and called out to Timber and him. "A wolf back there needs help!"
Reacting, Luigi and Timber set off down the ridge towards the city, and, without regard to any of the guards outside the city, ran towards the sound of fighting and the growling. They came across a black wolf and brown wolf, both fighting their way out of a ring of koopas.
Luigi raised his hammer above a koopa's head and brought it down with such force it rattled his armor. Leaving the shaken koopa on the ground, Luigi ran ahead to help the brown wolf who was overtaken by some of the enemy. Luigi hit each over the head like he'd done before and then fled with the brown wolf to help the others.
The black wolf analyzed her situation, and dodged under a koopa and leapt to the top of a trash can, then swiped a clawed paw at a helmet of the closet koopa, knocking it off. She jumped off the trash can and swiped her claws at the koopas face.
Timber ripped off the rest of the koopa's armor, and helped the black wolf strike him down. Soon most of the koopas had been stripped of their armor and were now stumbling to keep up. "Retreat!" they finally yelled, and ran off.
Luigi stood barely touched alongside Timber and the brown wolf, but the black hardly gave a passing glance as she left through the alleyway.
"Hey, wait!" Timber yelled, running after her.
The black wolf spun around quickly, her nose hitting up against Timber's as he failed to stop. "Quiet or you'll get everyone killed!" she whispered harshly, then continued on her way.
"I can…" Timber began, but then whispered. "I can help you. We… Luigi and I can help."
The wolf turned her head back to look at Timber. "You and Luigi? Luigi who? Not the Mario brother who died? You think I'm naïve, don't you?"
"Luigi Segali," Timber said. "And I can prove it." He noticed the silver stripe that the black she-wolf bore. "You're… Princess Kayla?"
There was no reason for her to hide it. "I'm not a princess anymore. But I'm her. And you say you can prove Luigi's existence? Go on, then."
Timber thought he'd be more shocked to see that Kayla had survived, but he went back and got Luigi anyway, who was thanking the brown wolf for helping them fight off the koopas. "Luigi!" Timber whispered. "Kayla wants to see you."
"Alright," Luigi said. "Take care," he said to the brown wolf that galloped off out of the city. "Where is she?"
Timber led the way to the alleyway where Kayla waited, and she looked Luigi up and down. "He seems well-done. How'd you pull this off?" she asked, not convinced.
"This is the real Luigi," Timber said. "It's him. Don't you know who I am at least?"
"Should I know who you are?" Kayla asked.
"I'm Timber, the one who was there at Mario's possession. Since Luigi and I were both there, then both of us can confirm that the other is who they say they are."
"Fine. Both of you can believe each other, but how does everyone else believe you?"
Timber raised his fur and growled. "Why must you be so difficult? Fine. Then how can I believe that you're princess Kayla."
"It's just Kayla now. And who else has a mark on my forehead such as this?"
"Spray paint?" Timber suggested.
"Hey, guys," Luigi said. "I think maybe we should all get out of here before anymore koopas come."
"We're not leaving just yet," Kayla said. "Prove to me who you are and fight for this world."
"I would love to," Timber said.
Unknown to the three down below, a pair of golden yet dull eyes watched them from a high-rise building up above. The wolf to whom the eyes belonged to sighed, his cream-colored tail brushing the floor as he turned away from the window and looked at his companions.
"They are here again," he said, and the faces of the wolves in front of him glowed with delight. "But that doesn't mean that they will come here."
A tawny-colored wolf grumbled and then flinched as the door of the room opened. Two goombas looked at the cream colored wolf and motioned for him to follow. The cream wolf did as requested, the others all mumbling to themselves about what might happen to him.
Once he was out of the room, the goombas spoke to him. "Your expertise is needed. Follow us." They walked off, but the wolf did not follow.
"Did you not hear us? Follow or we'll make you do so."
The wolf sighed dully and then obeyed his orders, following the goombas down the hallway and to the elevator. "Where are you taking me?" he asked them, watching the numbers on the elevator increase, drawing closer and closer.
"To see his highness, King Boo! Your wits of this city are needed. And if you help us, then there might be some gain for you as well."
The wolf's ears pricked with delight. He wondered what gain he would be offered as the elevator doors opened and they stepped inside. The elevator doors opened a second time, later, and the wolf was led through hallways and rooms, until finally he stood face to face with King Boo.
"Rofur," King Boo began. "Why so sad?"
Rofur hunched his shoulders and growled. He might be miserable looking, but he would not let himself be put down.
"Still bitter over the money I owe you from last year? I have come all the way from the Mushroom Kingdom just to show you this! Roll the tape!"
A boo turned on a T.V. that sat in the corner, and on the screen was an empty intersection in Claw City.
"What am I looking at?" Rofur asked to a confused King Boo.
"Next screen," King Boo ordered, and the picture changed again. Empty. "Next!" Another one empty. "Just flip through until you find them!" The boo kept hitting buttons on the screen until finally the king was satisfied. "Look, your heroes have returned, Rofur."
Rofur's ears flattened against his head as he looked on the screen to see a gray wolf running alongside a black wolf and a tall mustachioed man in green in an alleyway.
"Now, what I want you to tell me, Rofur, is who these people are. Luigi, we know. But who are the wolves."
"I don't know them," Rofur said right away.
The boos rung out in protest. "He's lying!"
"Make him tell the truth!"
"I know how to run things," King Boo retorted. "Now, you will tell me little wolf, who those wolves are."
"Where is my bribe?" Rofur asked, remembering the goombas' words.
"Who made me forget?! Yes, your bribe, Rofur, is to see your wife and children and to be set free with them."
Although Rofur found it a worthwhile offer, he remembered King Boo's last bribe. "I have no reason to trust you. I will not say."
King Boo was obviously disappointed. "Well, then, they'll all die anyway. Send him away!"
Rofur growled hostilely at King Boo as he was escorted out of the main chamber. He knew in his heart the heroes on the screen would survive, and his heart had been relieved when he saw Kayla on that screen.
The royal family had indeed survived.
Bowser ran as quickly as his massive koopa legs would carry him towards the screen and the flashing light. He hit a few buttons and soon King Boo's worried face was on the screen. "What is it? Did you find out who that wolf is?"
"No, Lord Bowser," King Boo replied. "He wouldn't crack. But there were two others travelling with the wolf…"
"Who?"
"…Luigi, and a wolf we have not identified."
Bowser's face turned to stone. "LUIGI IS DEAD! HE HAS BEEN FOR A YEAR! How dare you tell me lies."
"Bowser, this is not a lie! It is him. I can show you footage; hold on." King Boo called for one of his minions and they brought over the tape. Suddenly the screen changed and Luigi and two wolves were running down an alleyway.
Bowser roared in frustration. But Luigi would be weak, and Bowser knew that if he were going to destroy the plumber once and for all, he would have to do it now. Dimentio had said Mario's soul was very close to death. If Mario knew his brother was alive, then all would be lost.
King Boo reappeared on the screen. "King Boo, you must not let Dimentio get word of this. I will be sending more reinforcements to arrive in the morning to put this uprising under control. For now, keep watch, and alert me of anything else."
"Yes, Lord Bow—" King Boo was cut off midsentence as Bowser turned off the screen. "Kammy! Kamek!" His loyal magikoopas entered the room.
"Arrange battle plans. Luigi has returned."