For one chapter - we move away from the antics of Mario and the rest of the party. Now, what was in store for Sam Hammer as he was led up into Bowser's Castle?
A group of three Koopatrols were marching up the twisted path to Bowser's Castle, with the traitorous Sam Hammer in tow. Their secret snatch mission had been a success.
"We should do that more often." one of the Koopatrols said.
"What, act like idiots?" Sam replied with a rather rough edge to his voice. The Koopatrols weren't too happy to hear that.
"NO!" another Koopatrol roared. Sam wasn't scared. He didn't even flinch. He chuckled to himself as the Koopatrols dragged him up to the castle. As soon as all four were inside, Bowser came marching up to them, sniggering.
"Great work, chaps! Now, you three can have an extra tea break. Sam, you're coming with me." Bowser grunted. The Koopatrols ran off to their dormitory in the castle and decided to have their tea break. Sam, on the other hand, stayed where he was. He didn't advance towards Bowser, nor did he run out the large door behind him. Instead, he looked at Bowser with a sinister glint in his eye.
"I don't think so. Oh no. I've given up being a baddie, and that's final. If you're thinkin' of tryin' to make me return to your side, there's no chance of that happenin'!" Sam said darkly.
"Oh, I don't want to make you come back to me..." Bowser said, with a jokey high-pitched voice, and then his tone changed drastically.
"Because you're going to die." Bowser finished. Sam looked at the Koopa king again, this time his glare was even more piercing than before.
"I'd rather die than go back with scum like you!" Sam roared, his voice taking on an inhuman rage. That didn't seem to scare Bowser in any way, it just made him even more furious.
"FINE! You asked for it, you traitor." the Koopa king yelled, and then no less than TWELVE Koopatrols came out from all directions. Sam had already figured out that he wouldn't be able to take them all on at once, so he came up with a tactic. He would use evasive moves, then as soon as a single Koopatrol came up, he would dispatch 'em.
But it didn't work.
One Koopatrol immediately knocked Sam to the floor, then two others jumped onto his stomach (which hurt). Just as he was about to get up, a fourth Koopatrol came up and smacked him in the face. Bowser was watching the whole spectacle, and he was loving every minute.
"Take him, Koopatrols! Oggy oggy oggy... OI OI OI!" Bowser yelled with delight as the Koopatrols beat Sam senseless. But then...
"Heee-YAAAAAH!" Sam yelled, shoving five Koopatrols off him with superhuman strength (we'll forget the fact he's not human). He then turned on the remaining seven, charging at them with all the fury of Satan with an ice cube stuck to him. They cowered as Sam rugby-tackled them to the floor, knocking the wind out of them.
"ENOUGH!" Bowser roared. The Koopatrols stopped immediately, but Sam kept on pummelling one of them.
"Spiky Blake, I said STOP!" Bowser shouted at the Koopatrol who was still getting beaten up.
"It's not my fault, Lord Bowser. Sam is still pummelling me!" Spiky Blake whimpered. Bowser softened slightly.
"All right. Hang on, Spiky Blake." With that, Bowser grabbed Sam from behind and slammed him to the floor. There was a violent struggle as Sam tried vainly to wriggle free from Bowser's iron grip.
"Not so tough now, are ya?" Spiky Blake taunted. But Sam is not one who'll take an insult. Oh no. He kicked at Spiky Blake, trying to get him. He couldn't quite manage it, so using the roundness of his shell to its fullest advantage, he rocked back and forth, shaking Bowser's grip looser as he did so. Eventually, Sam could grab Bowser and throw him at Spiky Blake, knocking them both to the floor.
"Huh. That was easy." Sam said. But then...
"Nyeah heh heh heh! Too easy!" Kammy Koopa laughed as she cast a spell on Sam. It trapped him on the floor, unable to move.
"Quickly, Your Awfulness! I've got him!" Kammy shouted to Bowser, trying to encourage him to get up. The Koopa king did so, and he then moved forward... and Kammy released her spell. Bowser fell on top of Sam, pinning him to the floor. It's a nice thing, being trapped under half a ton of smelly Koopa king, isn't it?
"Great. I'm now squished." Sam grumbled as he struggled to wriggle out from under Bowser. It was then that the Koopa king got up, grabbed Sam quickly and dragged him off to the very same room he'd left Jimmy the Hammer Bro in not one chapter ago. Bowser then locked Sam in the room and went back to the torture chamber. There, he found that Jimmy had gone!
"Where's Jimmy?" Bowser roared at two Koopatrols that were standing guard, Spiky Darren and Spiky Jake.
"I don't know, Master Bowser. We were chatting." Spiky Jake said sadly.
"Well if you two weren't so busy gassing, you might pay attention next time!" Bowser yelled, boiling with rage. Spiky Jake sank back, too scared to speak.
"It won't happen again." Spiky Darren whimpered. He had only just managed to muster enough confidence to face Bowser when he was in that state.
"OK. But if it does, you're for the chop." Bowser said with a sinister grunt. And then he left, calling for Jimmy to come back. After Bowser had left, Spiky Jake turned to Spiky Darren and said,
"Do you ever get the feeling that Bowser doesn't care about his armies?" Spiky Darren giggled loudly after Spiky Jake had finished speaking.
"Yeah. Maybe that's why Sam left. But it's a shame that he did, because he's the only one who can stand up to Bowser." said Spiky Jake sadly, and then he and Spiky Darren resumed their guarding duties.