Chapter XXI: Aerial Pursuit

"Pretty sweet-looking ride, huh?" Waluigi grinned as he strapped on a pilot's cap.

"I sure wasn't expecting it to show up here," Luigi admitted. "The S.S. Garlic is big, but I had no idea it had a garage and landing strip just for the Waluigi Flyer. Warios are pretty darn clever."

"Heheheh. Of course we are. Let's hop in and start this bad boy up!"

Waluigi climbed into the cockpit while Luigi hopped into the back seat.

"Buckle up!" Waluigi shouted "This will be a wild ride!"

"Oh, right. Safety first," Luigi chuckled and clicked the seatbelt in place. "Now go get 'em! For great justice!"

Waluigi started the Flyer's engine and it soon took off from the landing strip on the S.S. Garlic.

"You know," Luigi said after a minute. "I'm thinking that maybe we should've let the bros know where we're going first."

"Nyeh. They're fine," Waluigi scoffed.

"I'm not so sure. I know how Mario can be when I'm not around."

"I've seen it. He had quite a fit the night you went overboard."

"My point exactly. It's not fair to make him worry like t-"

"Hold that thought! I see something up ahead!"

Waluigi pulled out a pair of binoculars that he might have stolen from Mario and used them to look further ahead.

"Target confirmed!" the pilot shouted. "I see him up ahead. He's heading north-west."

"Cool. The Beanbean Kingdom happens to be that way. Once we get Yosheta back, we can go over there and see if there's another egg."

"That dirty rodent. What he did was just wrong. Even I put a limit on my sneaky tricks."

"Sure you do..." Luigi shrugged.

Luigi didn't say anything after that. All he could think about was getting Yosheta back. But things don't seem to be moving fast enough for him...

"For goodness sake! Doesn't this thing have any nitros are something? Hurry up!"

"Pipe down!" Waluigi insisted. "I've got everything under control. Don't forget that I can't blast the little twit because I might tag Yosheta too. Just wait and see what I do when we get near him. Heheh."

"I really hope you know what you're doing..."

Over on Mouser's end of the sky-high pursuit, Yosheta struggled to get out of the net.

"Who do you think you are?" she grunted. "Where are you taking me?"

"Who I am is none of your business," Mouser sneered. "You're going to the Beanbean Kingdom so my master can try out his new weapon. How do you like them apples?"

"Watermelons are my favorite. Are apples the lucky fruit today?"

"Huh...what?! What's that supposed to mean? Wait a second. What is that chopping noise?"

Mouser looked behind him and saw the answer to his question. The Waluigi Flyer caught up to him!

"Oh, cheeseballs..."

"It's time to rock 'n' roll!" Waluigi cackled as he eyes began to glow a sinister purple. "Dark Stare!"

Waluigi's rather unorthodox attack caused the carpet to slow down. Mouser tried to figure out what was making the carpet malfunction when Yosheta managed to free herself from the net.

"What's happening?!" Mouser growled. "Nooo! Get back here, you little lizard!"

Mouser pulled out a bomb and was about to throw it at Yosheta, but the Waluigi Flyer caught his attention and he hurled it at that instead.

"Gah! Direct hit!" Waluigi screamed. "Sorry, Luigi. I gotta circle around and give this another shot!"

"I don't care what you do! Just get Yosheta back!"

Mouser pulled out another bomb and chucked it at the gyrocopter. Waluigi used his sharp shooting skills to unleash a missile and detonate the bomb just after it was thrown. Mouser got caught in the blast and was sent flying off the carpet.

"Raaaaaaaaaats!" Mouser howled as he plummeted toward the wide ocean.

"Nice shot, Waluigi!" Luigi cheered.

Luckily, Yosheta wasn't hit with the big boom. But she was trapped on the carpet which simply hovered in the air now.

"Oh dear," the yoshi said nervously. "I'm stuck..."

"How do we get her off there?" Waluigi asked.

"I'll release the ladder and grab her myself. You just slow down, circle around and drop altitude."

"Roger!"

Waluigi followed the instructions carefully while Luigi lowered the ladder and climbed down.

"A bit to the right!" Luigi shouted over the sound of whirling propellers. "No, the other right! Now drop altitude a bit more!"

Waluigi was able to line up the Waluigi Flyer with the carpet perfectly and Luigi had little trouble snagging Yosheta. Luigi wrapped an arm around her and lifted her off the carpet.

"Gotcha!" Luigi cried happily. "You're safe with me!"

"Thank you!" Yosheta smiled.

Now that nobody was controlling it, the magic carpet fluttered toward the ocean like a leaf in the autumn breeze.

"Are you okay, Yosheta? He didn't hurt you at all, did he?"

"I'm okay, but I was really scared."

"Good to hear that. That you're okay I mean!" Luigi quickly corrected himself.

"I'm sorry I got you in this mess. I should've been more careful."

"It's fine. We can start looking for the next egg sooner because of this. Waluigi! Land 'er at the Beanbean Airport!"

Waluigi looked at Luigi and Yosheta and saluted them. "Roger!"

"I sure hope they don't mind if we make an unexpected landing there," Luigi said to himself.

"Where are we going again?"

"The Beanbean Kingdom. It's a nice happy place. I bet you'd like it there. Okay then. My arms are getting kinda tired. Let's get in the Flyer."

Luigi and Yosheta carefully climbed the ladder and hopped into the back seat of the aircraft. They enjoyed their flight as the Beanbean Kingdom slowly came into view.

"I don't know this area," the pilot said. "I need you to tell me where the airport is real quick."

"You can't miss it," Luigi replied. "It's right on the southern coast which we happen to be approaching. Just go ahead and touch down at the right end.

"Roger."

Waluigi expertly landed the gyrocopter on the tarmac. The trio climbed out and proceeded through the gate. One of the fellows working there shouted at the group though...

"Hey! You guys can't park that thing here! It's unauthorized aircraft!"

"Don't worry about it," Luigi said casually.

"Oh! Luigi, sir! I'll just move it onto the grass until you return..."

After leaving the airport, Waluigi and Yosheta followed Luigi through the lush, green fields of the Beanbean Kingdom.

"Where do we start looking?" Yosheta asked.

"I'm going to get some help from the kingdom's prince. Security at the castle has been pretty tight lately, so I'll have to go in on my own. While I'm doing that, you two can hang out in Beanbean Castle Town. By the way, here we are."

The small party arrived at Beanbean Castle Town, a happy, thriving town inhabited by friendly bean people. There were many shops to check out. To the north was the castle itself which was Luigi's destination.

"I'll be at the castle," said Luigi. "You guys just stay out of trouble, okay?"

"No problem," Waluigi replied. "I think I'll check out that store right there."

Luigi left his companions for the time being and walked up a few flights of stairs, crossed a bridge and went right up to the main door of the castle where a pair of guards stood.

"Ah. If it isn't...Louie?" said the first guard. "That isn't it. Louis? No, wait..."

Luigi shook his head and tapped his foot. These guards had a habit of forgetting his name.

"You should know it by now," the second guard said as he bonked the other guard on the head.

"Oh! That's right! Luigi! I got it now!"

"Hey there, Luigi. What brings you here on this fine day?"

"I happen to be on a rescue mission," Luigi answered.

"Oh, is the queen ill?"

"Actually, I'm rescuing someone else. A friend of mine. I came to get a little help from the prince."

"Right. That would've been my second guess.

"Okay then," the second guard spoke. "You may enter. The prince is tending to the royal gardens in the east wing."

Both of the castle guards moved to the side and allowed Luigi to enter. Inside, Luigi easily located Prince Peasley in the garden.

"Well well well..." the prince said when he saw the plumber. "If it isn't my good friend, Luigi the superstar!"

Luigi, of course, was modest. Even more so when Peasley praised him. He simply chuckled and blushed.

"Oh my. That 'stache of yours is stunning! Have you been training on the sly or drinking lots of Teehee Blend? Whatever it is, keep it up. You'll probably be able to do...this!" Peasley finished with is trademark "hair shine."

Luigi always found Prince Peasley rather humorous and chuckled some more. He probably would've continued if his stomach didn't rumble at the time.

"Oof...that's right..." Luigi sighed and put a hand over his belly. "I haven't eaten a thing today. I'm on a rescue mission and-"

"Oh, goodness," the prince tsk-tsked. "I simply cannot allow you to do any rescuing on an empty stomach. Here, have some coins and buy yourself some lunch."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Certainly. No need to pay it back. It's on me. After you've finished eating, come right back and fill me in..."

Peasley handed Luigi a small sack of coins. Luigi accepted it and went out to get a much deserved lunch.