Hope the team's ready for some cold. Let's see how they finish climbing the mountain!

Chapter 14: Reaching the top, escape to the Dream World!

"The fresh sweet taste and lovely scent of the water courses through the team's bodies, plunging them into a deep sleep.

In time, a pleasant smell wafts into their noses and pulls them from their deep slumber.

Lured by the wonderful scent, Mario, Kiyotaka, Luigi, Mondo, Makoto, Kyoko and Sakura press forward.

Their bodies feel oddly light. Their legs flex into the earth.

The smell grows stronger. They travel for great leagues... Or do they barely travel at all? Soon they find the smell's source.

They find endless mushrooms. An unimaginable mound of mushrooms. MUSHROOMS! Mario jumps into the mushroom pile... Kiyotaka leaps into the mushroom pile... Luigi leaps into the mushroom pile... Mondo leaps into the mushroom pile... Makoto leaps into the mushroom pile… Kyoko leaps into the mushroom pile… Sakura leaps into the mushroom pile...

They chew and inhale mushrooms... They devour as many as they can, their banquet interrupted by no one.

They know not how much they ate. A white cloud appears beside Mario. His gloves caress the atmosphere. His soaking boots absorb the sea. Hills shrink... No! The heroes are huge! They have grown as big as the island!

Thousands of times bigger than life! A finger flick could smash Junser! There is nothing for them to fear. In this moment, they are ecstatic.

Soon after that, they realize they cannot go back to normal…"

WELCOME TO DESPAIR!

"Heroes! WAKE UP!" Dreambert yells. The team snaps out of the collective trance.

"Seems like you had nightmare, are you OK? This fountain can revitalize you, but it can also make you dream… Well you seem all right, let's keep going! The top of the mountain is not far!" Dreambert rallies the gang.

They quickly caught up with the beefy bros, "Now, cutlets and lady warrior must not lack beef!" Big Massif said.

With that, the two left and the gang sighed upon the the challenge they have to overcome.

"We must make our minds and tackle this challenge. I admit this looks quite intense but nothing that our teamwork and hard work can't manage!" Taka smiled.

"All right, let's get to the top" Kyoko agreed and all proceeded to continue their climb.

1 hour later

The nine finally reached the top after an intense climbing, puzzle-solving, taking down foes and winning 600 coins from them.

And yet, their momentum was halted as they reached another end thanks to another gate.

However, this time the Mega Pi'illos sliced in half and petrified were right next to them so they knew what they had to do.

Luigi and Mondo fall asleep and the rest enter the Dream World

2 Mega Pi'illo rescued later

The mega folks thanked the nine for saving them and immediately destroyed the gate.

As on cue, the Massif Bros. started to worship this pair as Muscle Lords again, much to the cringe of them and the gang.

"Is incredible time to be fully beefed" Big Massif said, "Da, and cutlets may not be cutlets after all!" Lil Massif adds.

"For that… YOU GET SOMETHING EXTREMELY BEEFY!" both bros said.

Lil Massif handed something special to Kiyotaka, "Is Team Attack: Dropchopper!" Big Massif boasts. "With it, cutlets and lady warrior can laugh at foe before crushing them like tenderizing a steak!" Lil Massif adds.

"Weird way of giving us a Team Attack but…" Starlow said but was cut off by Big Massif "We go!"

"To mountain top!" Lil Massif says before the two depart.

Makoto chuckled and they followed the bros.

Not so long, they came across a strange mammoth-like creature sleeping, with the Massif Bros steadily walking past it.

"Is bad to get so close!" the older brother whispered, "Is Mammoshka, guardian of mountain. Da, must be" Lil Massif pointed out.

"I thought it was fairytale, like legendary bacon storm..." he adds.

"Perhaps in best test for climbing tour... " Big Massif says, "Da, it must be easy as meatloaf… Muscles laugh at Mammoshka…" Lil Massif agrees but then looks at the team.

"Da, but remember, we have tender cutlets and lady warrior on tour. We keep them safe da? Is best thing to do" Big Massif said.

With surprising stealth, the Massif Bros snuck behind the creature.

"Sometime strongest muscle is muscle that avoids fight" Big Massif declared with sternness. "Cutlets! Lady Warrior! Come! Slow! Quiet!" Lil Massif requests.

The team carefully tiptoes around Mammoshka, looks like they are going to make it.

"Ah…" Luigi begins to shiver. Mario realizes what's going to happen and shush him.

"Ah... " the younger brother stops, everyone sighs.

"ACHOO!" Luigi sneezes loudly, waking up Mammoshka. "WAY TO GO DUMBASS!" Mondo yells, now fully awakening the beast.

Upon looking at them, Mammoshka glares and lets out a battle cry and the Massif Bros flee while the team is force into battle stances.

"Let's take it down!" Mario conjured a Fireball, "I'm afraid we have to defeat this creature" Taka shakes his head. "Sorry guys!" Luigi shivers in embarrassment, "Me and fucking mouth!" Mondo growled. "This one looks tough!" Makoto shouts, "Don't let it hit you while searching for a weak point!" Kyoko pulls out her Parallel Falchion. "If this the only way to survive, so be it" Sakura glares back at the monster.

Mammoshka charged full speed towards the team but the attack was dodged and the moment he turns around, the creature is met with a strong Forward air to the face from Mario.

As the beast flinches in pain, Kyoko sneaks behind him and strikes with a Shield Breaker but it didn't damage the creature.

"As I suspected, the head" the detective thought to herself as she dodged a tackle from Mammoshka. The beast ran far away but came back with a giant snowball and tossed it to Makoto, who quickly deviated it with his hammer.

The snowball was sent towards Sakura, who just shrugged it off with a Focus Attack. Mondo seized the chance now that Mammoshka was distracted and struck him with a Biker Illusion to the face.

Kiyotaka followed with a Straight Lunge to the body but only ended up inhaled and thrown to Mario. Luigi panicked and helped them get up; He then pulled out the 3D Shell and the gang kicked it to Mammoshka to no avail once more.

Mammoshka then ran away again but cambe this time with a giant rock

"Listen! The weak point is the head, the rest of his body is made of bricks!" Kyoko shouted as Mammoshka got angry again and chased the whole team. The creature began to chase them while trying to inhale them.

Everyone ran as fast as they could but their distance to Mammoshka was cutting short.

It looks like Mammoshka is going to get Luigi…

"BEEF INCOMING!" two voices shouted and Mammoshka is suddenly launched to the air; He landed on the ground, stunned.

The gang turned around and saw the Massif Bros. laughing. "Looks like cutlets always had beef! Maybe fight is how they got it!" Big Massif smirks.

"Da! We now prove our beef by helping cutlets and lady warrior!" Lil Massif exclaims.

Luigi stared at the monster, who still was stunned, "An All-Out Attack won't do any good now!" he whines.

"Maybe it's time for us to use those Team Attack now" Mondo suggests. "All right then; We use first the Bye-bye Canon!" Taka agrees and pulls out the Team Attack.

Everyone hops in and is launched in the following order: Lil Massif, Kyoko, Mondo, Big Massif, Sakura, Kiyotaka, Luigi, Makoto, Mario.

They landed on Mammoshka's head on that order and then again this time as a totem. Mario dealt the final blow of the attack, which cracked a part of Mammoshka's body.

"It's still stunned! Let's try the Dropchopper!" Kyoko rallies the gang as she pulls out the helmet and starts the move.

The first on to catch it is Sakura, followed by Luigi, Kiyotaka, Kyoko, Mario, Big Massif, Lil Massif and Mondo.

With all their might, the nine gave a powerful stomp to the creature's' head again.

Mammoshka's body is fully shattered and leaves the creature with a blue and weaker armor.

Sakura began to glow the aura, "I must do this, it's my duty" she calmly says before unleashing one of her two Final Smashes: Shin Shoryuken.

Sakura stuns Mammoshka with a punch, before swinging her right fist for an uppercut. She then performs another uppercut with her left fist, briefly pausing mid-uppercut against Mammoshka's chin while grunting the word "Shin...", before leaping upward and yelling "SHORYUKEN!"

Mammoshka is sent flying and plummets to the ground with such force that all of his armos break at once and he explodes in a burst of stars, dropping 350 coins.

"Way to go Sakura!" Mario cheers as everyone approaches the warrior to praise her.

"Way to kick ass!" Mondo grinned, "An excellent display of your powers and your discipline!" Taka adds. "Sakura, you're awesome!" Luigi chirps, "Well done my friend" Kyoko smiles, "The Ultimate Martial Artist shows her prowess again!" Makoto claps.

"LADY WARRIOR!" the Massif Bros. also joined in the praise.

10 minutes later

The Massif Bros. explained the gang how they reached the summit but quickly returned after spotting two villains.

"Da, summit was taken by bad guys! One bat and a giant reptile laughing and saying something of Despair!" Lil Massif says.

"Antasma and Junser!" the team shouts. "We reached top! We laugh at summit!" both brothers say.

"Well, now the only thing left is to go up there and confront them!" Starlow said. The team agrees and races to the top.

On the top, Antasma and Junser were laughing while surrounded by huge stereo equipment.

"At last! I vill use the Dream Stone to realise my dreams! But first..." Antasma laughs as he turns into his true form.

"What happened to you?! You look so dumb!" Junser snickered. "All that has come to pass is due to our meeting! Your vill to sink everything into Despair is something I never saw in all my life" the bat says.

"Und ve even got the Dream Stone in our claws! Ve should use the Dream Stone now!"

"How do we do that?" Junser asks, "First, ve must gather some energy for it. Vith collected energy, it vill grant us anything ve vant!" Antasma declares.

"So easy to destroy those stupid Bros.' world! But I want to settle the score with those Hope heroes! Makoto! Kyoko! Byakuya! Aoi! Toko! Yasuhiro!

And I still want to know how the others came back to life! But I know with the Dream Stone that's only a matter of time!" Junser cackled.

"Yes! Destroying your previous world vas indeed an achievement!" Antasma agrees.

"Ve vill take over the vorld and sink it to Despair! And that old witch will help us!" Antasma laughs.

"Then let's get this thing some energy-" Junse says as she spots the gang arriving.

"Mario! Kiyotaka! Luigi! Mondo! Makoto! Kyoko! Starlow! Dreambert! Sakura!" both baddies yell in unison as the heroes go into battle stances.

"We don't have to be the Ultimate Analysts to predict your moves! Now give us back the Dream Stone!" Starlow growls.

"Antasma! It is an age since we faced off! I do not know how you contrived to make it back to this world… But you shall not stay long! I will return you to the Dream World!" Dreambert glares at the bat.

"Listen here Junko! We are going to get you out of Bowser and detain you for your crimes!" Kiyotaka declares, "You won't sink this world into Despair by creating another Tragedy!" Makoto snaps at her.

You! Meddling vith me again… Ve have no time to play with these creatures! Ve must collect energy for the Dream Stone!" Antasma says.

From one of the speakers, Kammy Koopa emerged, but she had a different look on her eyes.

"Oh no, she's been captured and brainwashed!" Mario gasps with horror.

"Hey, Mario! Kiyotaka! Luigi! Mondo! Makoto! Kyoko! Sakura! Listen to THIS!" the witch snickered and activated the four speakers.

Strange music began to come out of them, "All things… MUST SLEEP!"

"What's that music?!" Starlow asked a bit nervous, "Could those be… the DREAMBEATS!" Dreambert gasped.

"Correct! All who hears the beats vill fall asleep like rocks!" Antasma smiled.

"it doesn't seem to affect us…" Starlow says but then turns around to see the team all drowsy.

"Oh no! You guys are totally passing out!" she shrieked. "Wake up!" she shook Luigi and Mondo.

"For mortals, the music is irresistible. Things have gone ill! We are in danger!" Dreambert said in panic.

"We must retreat from this place!" the prince orders, which makes everyone to snap out a bit of the music.

"But the Dream Stone!" Starlow objects, "It cannot be helped… I could handle Antasma…

But if the heroes fall asleep, I cannot stop Junser! She may even get us executed!"

Starlow reluctantly agreed, "Understood! We're bailing! Mario! Kiyotaka! Luigi! Mondo! Makoto! Kyoko! Sakura! Let go!" the sprite says.

The team agrees and runs off. "RUNNING WON'T SAVE YOU FROM DESPAIR BITCHES!" Junser snickered with her ears covered.

The gang continued running until Luigi and Mondo dozed off completely and rolled downhill towards a strange platform big enough for three.

"This is a Dream Point!" Dreambert said. "No time for that! We need to escape! Starlow objects.

"No, listen! We'll leave Luigi and Mondo sleeping here and go to the Dream World! The Dreambeats cannot reach us once we pass the dreamy border" the prince clarifies.

Dreambert clones himself and turns into pillows for both sleepy fighters.

A portal opens and the gang flees into it.

Unbeknownst to Starlow, a certain soldier quickly made her move and jumped into portal to shelter herself.

At Wakeport

Byakuya and Toko fell asleep along all the people when the Dreambeats reached them.

At Pi'illo Castle

Hifumi began to doze off with his Pokemon as well, fortunately for him, he was already on his bed.

At Mushrise Park

Sayaka finally prepared to leave when the music reached her and the staff. She decided to go back to the bed and sleep.

At Dozing Sands

After rescuing all Pi'illos, Leon and Hiro stored them in the tent at the entrance and prepared to take a bath at the castle when the music fell upon them.

"Nighty night dude!" Hiro conked out and fell on top of Leon, "You're heavy…" he muttered as he fell asleep.

At a forest

"A little nap won't hurt my research…" a girl said before falling asleep, followed by a teenager not far from her.

At Mount Pajamaja

The sleep energy came to Dream Stone, which began to absorb it as the two villains celebrated.

With the heroes not being able to return for now, this world's end is now drawing faster…

Chapter 14: END

Current Party: Mario, Kiyotaka, Luigi, Mondo, Makoto, Kyoko, Starlow, Dreambert, Sakura

Time to reply the recent review.

Pikiminfan: One think Mario learned his lesson when he ate that Invincishroom at Little Fungitown. As for Kyoko, that curiosity is one of the main reasons she wears gloves.

The gang has fled to the Dream World and the portal disappeared! Who's that girl in the forest?

Keep your guards up as someone from the past might be returning!

Stay tuned for the next chapter.