"I can't take care of you children now," Kaptain K.Rool grumbled. "Go and hide somewhere until the battle is over."

"Awww... can't we watch?" Kass asked hopefully.

"Are you crazy? Your mother is going to kill me if she finds out that something happened to you! Into that life boat with you, now!"

"Man, you're such a killjoy," Kip grumbled, but he and his sister obeyed reluctantly.

"Okay, everyone ready?" the kaptain shouted. "On my command... release the Zingers! All Kannons, open fire! Carrier Neckys, prepare to cross the water. ATTAAAACK!"

"ATTAAAAAACK!" several voices that sounded suspiciously monkey-like came from behind him.

"What the... hey, nobody's supposed to attack US!" K.Rool shouted and turned around... just to see how his first mate tumbled down to his feet.

"Blast..." K.Rool grumbled. "It had to be those accursed apes..."

Donkey Kong was pounding his chest as he jumped out of the ship's hold, and proceeded to pound every Kremling he came across afterwards. Diddy and Tiny tag-teamed by shooting their enemies with peanuts and feathers from their respective weapon, while Dixie attacked with flying kicks.

"Look out, Kremlings, here comes the chimp champ!" Diddy shouted while firing two peanuts at once.

Still, the Kongs' attack did not stop the cannoneers from firing their cannons, nor did it stop the Zinger trainers to release the deadly, spike-covered wasps or the Kremlings that were being carried across the waters towards Rogueport.

K.Rool laughed. "Those stubborn apes can try, but that town is still going down!"

On a rooftop, Ryoga closely watched the pirate ship. When he heard the roar of the cannons and saw the incoming flyers, he waved his arms and shouted: "Here they come! Prepare for our counterstrike!"

The Neckys, giant vultures tamed by the Kremlings, carried several pirates through the air and dropped them on the docks.

One of the Kremlings raised a cutlass and shouted: "C'mon, mates! Those townspeople are nothing to be worried about! Time to plunder and pillage!"

Yelling and waving their weapons through the air, the Kremlings stormed the main plaza of Rogueport... only to be greeted by two flanks of armed street thugs. Mafia and bandits alike were fighting together to drive off the pirates.

One Kritter gulped. "Well, crud!"

In front of the two factions, two weapon-wielding females were standing with big grins on their faces.

"Ready to pound some reptiles, Shampoo?" Ukyo smirked.

Shampoo twirled around her bonbori. "Shampoo ready when spatula girl is!"

Meanwhile, the Zingers had reached the town as well and started to drop the small, spherical items they were carrying.

Ryoga, his mother, and Bobbery, Cortez' first mate, were watching them.

"Shiver me timbers, those are orange grenades!" Bobbery grumbled when he saw how the green pellets exploded. "You ready against this, boy?"

Ryoga smirked. "That's not a problem at all, isn't it, Mom?"

Kimmy gestured ahead. "After you, son!"

"Gladly!" the Koopa boy with the spotted shell smiled while jumping into battle. His mother followed close behind.

Bobbery shook his huge mustache. "30 years as a sailor, and I've never seen two Koopas as reckless as those two... must run in the family."

Both parent and child jumped up at the unsuspecting wasps, retracted into their shells in mid-air and smacked them out of the sky. Their shells did not just protect them from the Zingers' spines, but also were hard enough to cause more than a headache.

'Well, I can handle them,' Ryoga thought. 'Still, I can't do anything about the cannon fire... if they keep up with this, the city will be reduced to rubble in a couple of hours. Let's hope that Cortez guy can handle them...'

"The Zingers are being obliterated by a couple of powerful Koopa warriors," one of K.Rools still standing lieutenants saluted. "And we can't see what's going on on the streets, but there seems to be a huge battle."

"Damn! This isn't going how it's supposed to go at all," the Kremling king grumbled. "And those darned Kongs just won't quit. Let's hope my elite guard can hold them off until after the city is reduced to rubble," he grinned. "And if everything fails, I can still use that potion Kamek sent me... where did you hide it, anyway?"

"Oh, no need to worry, Kaptain!" the Kremling smiled. "I hid it in a place where nobody will ever find it."

Just then, the muscular form of a Kruncha Kremling came flying through the air and landed on top of the unfortunate lieutenant. A burly ape came jumping and landed in front of the surprised K.Rool.

"Time to end this sailing trip, Kaptain!" DK grumbled while raising his fists.

Kaptain K.Rool grimaced and drew his gun. "Only if your little friends are bullet-proof, primate!"

And he fired his gun at Tiny Kong, who was blissfully unaware of what was going on while she shot feathers at her enemies.

DK gasped. "NO!" he shouted and jumped to the left, intercepting the projectile. The massive cannonball that came flying out of K.Rools huge gun slammed into his stomach and hurled him through the air. He hit the tall mast with a sickening crunch and slid down to the planks of the deck.

"DK!" Diddy shouted. He shot another peanut into the open muzzle of a Klap Trap and jumped from Kremling to Kremling until he had reached his buddy. Dixie was twirling around her air and swept everyone who came too close to her to their feet. "Out of my way!"

"Say something, big guy..." Diddy said and patted his friend's head.

"Ooooohh... big bananas..." DK groaned.

Diddy sighed in relief. "If he has bananas in mind, he's okay!" The monkey then stared at the Kremling King. "You're going to pay for this, King Coconut!"

"Please, the name's K.Rool!" the kaptain grinned. "So the little ones want to save their big friend, again? How cute..."

"Tiny, you better hide someplace," Dixie whispered to her scared sister. "We can take him on..."

"O-okay," Tiny nodded and scampered away, while Dixie stepped up next to her boyfriend.

"Step back!" K.Rool told his crew. "This fight is between me and the Kongs!"

Diddy raised his peanut popguns.

K.Rool just smirked and raised his own gun. "Well, who has the bigger one? You monkey kids are so pathetic..."

But suddenly, a loud yell was coming from the crow's nest. "K-k-kaptain! Another ship... another ship is approaching?"

"So what?" K.Rool yelled back. "Tell the Kannons to sink it down to the ocean floor!"

"B-b-but Kaptain... don't you see the flag? It's another pirate ship!"

The ghost ship came closer and closer. Behind the steering wheel, Cortez was towering, having taken his complete, four-armed skeleton shape. Two of his bone hands were grasping the steering wheel, while the other two were grasping a huge cutlass and an equally big rapier.

"Bring the ship about, you lazy scum!" he hollered. "Today is a good day to die!"

All over his ship, the ghostly flame spirits were preparing for battle, while the ghost ship came closer and closer to the Kremling ship.

The Kannons standing at the bow nearly dropped their cannons in shock. "Th-th-the undead!" they screamed. "We're all doomed!"

"The first one who leaves his post will become shark food!" K.Rool roared. "Show them what a true Kremling is made of! Get ready to board their ship!"

"Ready to board ship!" Cortez shouted to his men at the same time. "Give those salty sea dogs no quarter!"

And while Kremling pirates swung over to the ghost ship, the Embers floated over to the Kremling ship, and the battle was on. No one was shooting at the harbor anymore, now the ghost pirates had become the biggest threat.

"Well, at least I can finish you off..." K.Rool grumbled and took aim on Dixie and Diddy. "Any last words?"

Meanwhile, Tiny had searched for a place where she could hide. She gulped when she saw the ghost ship approaching. She didn't know on which side they were, and they were scary.

"M-maybe DK is right... and I'm really not big enough to be a hero..." she murmured. "Oh, where can I hide...?"

She then spotted the life boat hanging nearby and sighed. "That's just what I need," she said and jumped in... only to nearly land on the head of an equally small Kremling girl.

"Hey, watch it, monkey!" Kass shouted. "My Mom paid at least 10 Krem Koins for that hairdo."

"I'm s-sorry..." Tiny muttered. "Um, you're not going to fight me now, are you?"

"Naw, I just wanna watch the fight," Kip said while peering over the life boat's edge. "If only that damn mast wasn't in the way..."

"I just wish we were bigger, then Uncle K.Rool would respect us..." Kass sighed.

Tiny nodded. "I know how you feel..." she sighed. "DK never takes me serious because I'm still so little."

"Adults can be such a pain at times..." Kip grumbled.

Tiny sighed. "Oh well, what can we do..." Her eyes then suddenly caught sight of something. "Hey, what's that?"

"What do you mean?" Kass asked.

"There, hidden in that corner... isn't that some sort of vial?"

Kip picked up the little vial and stared at the purple liquid inside. "Maybe some sort of potion?" he wondered.

"Don't be ridiculous!" Kass snapped. "Uncle K.Rool never used magic to reach his goals, besides, he would never hide a magic potion in the life boat, would he?"

"I guess you're right..." Kip grumbled. "Oh well, I guess it's just grape juice..."

"I'm feeling kind of thirsty," Tiny admitted.

Kip gave the vial to her. "Here, you can have it! I hate grapes..."

Tiny smiled. "Thank you!"

Now, this was actually the potion Kamek had brewed by using Kodachi's rose... but he wouldn't entrust K.Rool with the full power of that stuff. Instead, he mixed it with water, thereby reducing its powers significantly. Still enough to take over one single port town, he believed.

But he never imagined that this vial would find its way into the hands of a young monkey-girl with an inferiority complex.

Tiny sighed. "I really wish I was bigger..." she murmured. Then she giggled. "Big and beautiful... just like Candy."

And then she swallowed the potion with one big gulp.

Kip and Kass got thrown back when a puff of smoke surrounded their new monkey friend, and some unknown force made her grow in size.

Tiny blinked. "Wow... what happened?"

She looked down. "I am... big!"

She had not just grown to be as big as Candy Kong, but actually turned into a teenaged monkey girl. Her clothes had changed as well... instead of her blue pants, she was wearing a white tube top and a pair of baggy, turquoise pants. Also, from her ears were dangling two big earrings. The only thing that had stayed the same was her knit cap.

Kip looked up at her with envy. "I want a swig of that grape juice!"

His sister had picked up the vial and noticed that it was empty. "Aw, bummer..."

When the sun was rising over the gentle hills of Yoshi's Island, the area around the racing track was already bustling with activity. For word about this upcoming race between two of the island's fastest Yoshis had already spread, and everyone who learned of it wanted to witness this spectacle.

Long stands have been put up, and the first spectators were already waiting breathlessly for the big event to begin. Yoshis, Shyguys and others were cheering on their favorite racer, waved around flags that had either green-spotted eggs or spiked collars on them and whistled.

On one side of the racing track, the racers were getting ready. Boshi was doing several stretches, sit-ups and knee-bends. Feeling fit enough, he walked up to the starting line.

While walking past Yoshi and his friends, he gave the green dinosaur a sneer, then he gestured at Kasumi. "Yoshi yoshi!" he proclaimed, then he positioned himself in front of the track.

Luigi nearly fell off the stool he was sitting on. "H-he can't be serious!" he squawked.

Yoshi shook his head. "Yoshi..."

Cyan patted his saddle comfortingly and nuzzled his side, while Sandy looked as nervous and edgy as ever.

Kasumi blinked. "I don't understand... what did he want?"

"He... he made it clear that this time around, Yoshi's rider should NOT be allowed to be a plumber. Instead... he insisted that you should ride Yoshi during the race.

Kasumi was surprised. "Oh my... me? Take part in a race? That is certainly unexpected... but why would he even want someone to ride on Yoshi?"

"Well, that's-a because the last time, when he lost against him, my bro rode on Yoshi. This time around, Boshi wants to even up the partaking sides. That's why he made sure to find a rider of his own."

They all looked over to where Boshi was waiting. A green-skinned guy with a mask and a striped shirt was standing next to him, giving them a snide grin.

"Yo, losers! This time around, me and my Rookie are gonna show you who's boss!"

It was Popple, the self-proclaimed 'Shadow Thief'.

"I can't believe it..." Luigi groaned. "Of all people, it had to be that guy..."

Kasumi smiled. "Oh, he certainly looks like a nice fellow."

Luigi sweatdropped. "Kasumi, listen... you don't have to do this if you don't want to."

"Oh, don't be silly," Kasumi smiled. "It's not a bother at all. And we don't really have a choice, do we? If we want Yoshi-kun to win this race, he'll need a rider. The only ones available are you and me... and Boshi won't accept you. So, I will do it."

Luigi was surprised at Kasumi's willingness. "Okeydokey then... but be careful out there, you hear me? Boshi can be a rough fellow, and don't let me get started about Popple..."

"I'm sure I will be able to take care of myself, but thanks for worrying," Kasumi said as she sat up on Yoshi's saddle. "Shall we go, Yoshi-kun?"

The green dinosaur nodded. "Yoshi!"

Before they left, Cyan walked up to them one last time, gave her boyfriend a hug for good luck, and took Kasumi's hand, giving the eldest Tendo sister a reassuring smile.

And when she pulled back her blue paws, Kasumi found a couple of cookies in them, all of them shaped like little Yoshi heads...

"Oh my..." she murmured. "I wonder what these are for..."

Yoshi hadn't noticed anything about what Cyan had given Kasumi, he narrowed his eyes and confidently walked up to the racing track as well.

The crowd erupted in cheers as the hero of Yoshi's Island stepped up next to his rival.

Next to the track, a little podium was standing, for the commentator of the race. It was a stout man with huge lips and a big, blue top hat.

"And here we are, on this nice day, on Yoshi's Island racing track, the only place for Yoshi races! My name is MC Ballyhoo, and together with my good friend Big Top, I am here to tell you everything about this awe-inspiring event."

"That's right," his top hat started talking. "And what a race this is going to be. The two contestants are Yoshi, the most renowned hero of the dinosaur race which had given him his name, and the clawed dino with an attitude, Yoshi's long-time rival Boshi! According to the rules, the both are allowed to carry a rider on their back."

"That's right, and unlike the two Yoshis, we haven't heard much of them before," MC Ballyhoo continued. "We have Miss Kasumi Tendo, a modest and gentle beauty from Japan, on planet Earth, and a very shady fellow who simply introduced himself as 'Popple the Shadow Thief'. But it is said that his home country is the Beanbean Kingdom."

"Well, let's just hope they will give each other a nice, fair race," Big Top continued. "It looks like all of the contestants are raring to go. I say we get this show on the road!"

"Right you are, Big Top, and there is Bruce the Bob-Omb, a nice fellow from Koopa Village who agreed to give the starting signal."

The blue Bob-omb walked up next to the starting line. "Okay, you all ready?" he asked. "Everyone, get set... ready... GO!!"

And after saying 'GO!!', he exploded, giving both Yoshis the signal to dash off.

"And there they go!" MC Ballyhoo shouted. "The great race for the Super Happy Tree has begun, folks! May the best Yoshi win!"

Akane was slowly walking along the corridor, taking care not to step on her tongue, which had rolled out of her mouth again.

"I hate thith thing..." she mumbled while putting it back into her mouth. "I hope I find thothe virutheth quickly, tho I can get back to noral thoon..."

She walked into the Lumas' bathroom, careful not to hit the doorframe with the Rex horns on her head.

She looked around. "Well, they're not here, either..." she muttered. "Oh well, I guess I can wash this awful Yoshi taste out of my mouth..."

She approached the wash basin, not noticing the blue shape that was hiding behind the shower curtains.

While Chill the blue virus quietly opened the curtains and charged up cold energy in his fingertips, Akane reached for the faucet and turned the knob.

She frowned when the flowing water coming from the faucet froze solid.

And then, she lashed out with her Cobrat's tail, catching Chill off guard, and smacking him backwards, so that he stumbled into the bath tub.

Before he could struggle back to his feet, she raised her mallet.

"VIRUS NO BAKA!" she yelled and brought her trusty weapon down.

Chill let out a chortling grunt and was flattened into a comical, flat shape that was comically waddling around on the bottom of the wash tub.

Akane then took a few Megavitamins. "Time for your medicine!" she grinned.

Chill's eyes widened, and he frantically tried to shake his head, but in his flattened state, there wasn't much he could do.

Akane took a blue-yellow pill and a solid blue pill and threw them on top of the virus. Chill let out a screech of protest, before he, along with the blue halves of the Megavitamins, vanished into thin air.

The yellow half of the blue-yellow pill clattered into the wash tub and Akane sighed with relief.

"That's one taken care of," she murmured. "Two more to go..."

She yelped in surprise, when suddenly, the dorsal fin of a cheep-cheep appeared on her back.

"I really hope I'm gonna find that yellow virus next..." she groaned. "So I can get rid of these things..."