This story's just getting started, guys. We're really getting into it now!
Canon Fodder
Chapter 44: Fade to Blackfire
Kylie was the last to step through the doorway into the Mario Bros' house. She closed the door behind her, and looked up to see Mario already raiding the cupboards for snacks. It was a funny habit of his, and though it was obvious Luigi didn't quite endorse it for its promotion of unhealthy eating habits, it made Mario happy.
Kylie sat down at the dining room table. "Okay. So...I guess we head to Blackfire Crater and see what's going on there, right?"
"Yeah," Luigi nodded, sitting down across from her, watching Mario gorge himself out of the corner of his eye. Kylie looked over at the kitchen to watch Mario gorge himself. Maybe this was why he never looked any thinner from all his walking and jumping around.
Kylie rested her head in her hands. She smiled sadly. "We never really got the chance to explore Blackfire Crater, huh?"
"You didn't. I was...too distracted to explore it on my way out," Luigi said.
Mario sat down beside Luigi, munching on a mushroom.
Kylie sat up straight. "How can you eat those nonstop? They're gross."
Mario suddenly stopped chewing. He stared straight at Kylie, and didn't stop. Without looking away, he took a Super Mushroom, and pushed it across the table, in front of Kylie. She raised an eyebrow, and her eyes flitted from the mushroom to Mario.
"Uh-uh. No way."
Mario simply nodded at the mushroom.
Kylie shook her head. "I've already tried them. And they're-"
"He's not going to let this go, Kylie," Luigi said, smiling. "He's going to keep at it until you eat that mushroom."
Kylie stared at him pleadingly. "...All of it?"
Mario nodded. Kylie sighed, defeated, and picked up the mushroom. Staring at it, she turned it around.
"B-but it has eyes..."
"They're aesthetic," said Luigi, waving it off.
Kylie frowned as she turned the mushroom around. Luigi pulled out his diary while waiting for her to finish. He began writing. For some reason, this annoyed Kylie. Nonetheless, she could feel Mario's eyes boring into her skull, so she took a small bite. Instantly, she felt a shiver crawl up her spine. She didn't like mushrooms at the best of times, and this was no different. Taking another bite, she convulsed again. Shaking her head and screwing up her face, she made eye contact with Mario, whose expectant expression had not changed.
Luigi looked up from writing in his diary. "You need to eat the whole thing before it takes effect."
Kylie looked at the half of the Super Mushroom in her hands. Deciding it'd be easier to get out of the spotlight if she did it quickly, she stuffed the rest of it in her mouth, and chewed furiously. Thirty seconds of the mushroom's taste filling her mouth, and she swallowed.
"Gah!" she gasped, rushing into the kitchen. She threw open the doors of the cupboards, looking for the cups. Her eyes locking onto a glass like an eagle to a shrew, she snatched the cup and clumsily put it under the tap, before turning on the water. Impatiently, her eyes watched the glass fill up as the aftertaste of the Super Mushroom lingered on her tongue. Deciding quickly it was good enough, she downed the water in record time, gulping it down in a desperate effort to get the mushroom's flavour out of her mouth. Setting the glass down on the countertop, she gasped for breath. Bristling, she heard laughter from the table.
Kylie opened her mouth to say something to the laughing brothers, but closed it when she realized how ridiculous she must've looked. Letting out breath she didn't know she had been holding, she smiled.
"Okay, okay. I ate your stupid mushroom. Now are we going to figure out what we're going to do or what?"
Luigi stood up, and passed Kylie, going down into his library. "I'll be right back."
Kylie sat down at the dining room table again, across from Mario. She pursed her lips when she realized he was smiling wryly underneath his mustache.
"Oh, you enjoyed that, huh?" Kylie asked sarcastically. "D'you think it'd be as funny if you had a bowl of Superspicy Curry?"
Mario, looking up, nodded his head slowly, as if admitting her point.
"Hey, Mario! Go check the mail for a new atlas!" Luigi's voice came from downstairs.
Mario, giving a look at Kylie, got up and went to the front door. Kylie, with nothing better to do, got out her diary.
I'm, uh...actually at a bit of a loss of what to write other than a summary of what happened today. A while ago, I would've said this experience feels so unreal. But if I'm going to be honest, this is most of what I remember, thinking back. My family life, back in Massachusetts seems like a bit of a blur compared to this. I mean, here, every day's different, distinct, daring, uh...descriptive...? Well, it's a stark contrast to Earth life. Back there it's a basic formula of wake up, skip breakfast, go to school, skip lunch, come back home, train with parents, convince them it's time for dinner, more endurance training, gaming, bed. This seems really weird to write, especially considering the circumstances, but this feels more real than Earth. Which is super weird.
Kylie stared down at her diary, tapping her pen to her chin.
Mario came back clutching a large book in his arms. He called to Luigi, who was still down in the library, and he was quickly up and back at the dining table.
"How do they get these done so quickly?" Kylie asked, staring in wonder at the large book in front of her.
"Satellite images and coffee," Luigi explained as he flipped the book open.
Kylie made a face.
Luigi pointed at the map of the entire Mushroom Kingdom. "Okay, good. Blackfire Crater is still there. Look, they've documented Fairfield, too."
"Really? What'd they say about it?" Kylie asked, her interest piqued.
Luigi looked at her. "Not to go there. What else?"
Kylie nodded. "That's good. We can't have another incident like Kolorado's happening. So anyways, what's the plan? We head out to Blackfire Crater tomorrow?"
"Yeah, that'd be the best plan. If the Deus is there, we don't know how long it'll stay. So it'd be best to go there as soon as possible," Luigi agreed.
Kylie stretched. "Alright. Well, I guess I'll sleep in the library again. You still have that spare toothbrush, right, Mario?"
Mario gave a quick glance to Luigi, but nodded.
"'Kay. See ya in the morning. G'night."
They're still forgetting something...or some things...
