I Promised, Act III, Section 3, Chapter 3

Siph: Are we gonna get another interloo after this?

Interlude. And yes, yes we will.

Siph: What's the actual number for this chapter?

46. Side note, that's one of my favorite numbers.

Siph: Why do you like it so much?

I don't know. I've just always liked it for as long as I can remember, even as a little kid. Especially as a little kid. 5, 46, 64, and 96 are my big ones.

Disclaimer: I'm not a nerd because I have favorite numbers. I have favorite numbers because I'm a nerd.

Chapter 46: Call to Action

Pauline stepped into the doorway to take the call. "Hello?"

Ludwig, meanwhile, looked down at his body, shaking. "What was that?"

"You…" Wendy started, also shaking, "you didn't sound like you."

"Peach, finally! I've been—" Pauline got cut off, presumably by the princess. "Yes, they're here. Wendy's awake now too. Turns out she—" She was cut off again. "Hang on, Peach, slow down." She tucked her phone between her head and her shoulder, and she set her handbag down on a nearby chair. After rummaging through it, she pulled out a pencil and a memo pad. "Start from the top. What's happening?"

While Pauline wrote and talked, Kraig examined Ludwig closely. "Shadows don't behave that way under normal circumstances," he observed nervously.

"Obviously," Blue commented.

He rolled his eyes, "But I think we can all agree that, given everything that has happened within the past 24 hours, we are not currently in normal circumstances, are we?"

"Petal Meadows?" Pauline repeated in the background. "What were their names again? Wait, that makes all eight Koopalings, right?"

That got all the Koopas' attention.

Pauline smiled at them. "Awake, alive, and healed," she said to Peach, but in the Koopas' direction. "Well, almost. We don't have healing items or Special Moves out here, remember?"

Blue almost jumped on Kraig. "That's a good sign, right?"

Kraig nodded, smiling at her and the Koopalings. "A step in the right direction."

Ludwig and Wendy both let out a heavy breath.

Ludwig's smile faded quickly. "It's still only eight out of nine Koopas."

Wendy's smile soon joined her brother's. "And we still don't know about Kamek or Auntie Kammy. Or any of our troops. Did Pom Pom make it out?"

"Hey hey hey!" Blue interrupted. "This is no time to mope!"

"The Stars have clearly been shining on us thus far," Kraig affirmed. "Why should they stop now?"

"Us?" Wendy repeated.

Ludwig's eyes widened. "Of course! Kraig was a part of the initial medical team tending to us. And Blue made a beeline straight here once she caught wind that we were here." He looked at Wendy, his sapphire eyes glistening warmly. "The Stars have been granting our wishes for our families."

Wendy smiled, but snorted. "Even after all we do to royally ruin things? We do just love being mean."

"You're not being very mean now." Blue winked. "Unless you count that bad pun."

Kraig nodded, though grimaced at the pun. "Your intentions in this situation are pure. Your primary concern is the well-being of your family and your people. You clearly hold no malice while cooperating with and accepting the care of someone very close to your sworn enemy."

Wendy made a face. "How sappy. I hope things go back to normal soon. Not sure how I feel about this."

Ludwig laughed genuinely for the first time in a while. "That would sound more fitting coming out of one of our brothers' mouths. Not so much from you, Wendy."

Wendy stuck her tongue out at him. "Well I couldn't just let the opportunity slip by!"

"Isn't that what we call the parts of an eclipse?" Pauline asked Peach.

Ludwig cocked an eyebrow. "Where did that come from?"

"Maybe Morton got on the line and went on his usual 64 tangents," Wendy giggled.

Ludwig deadpanned, "Don't be ridiculous." A smirk. "Morton would be way past 64 by now."

Pauline gasped, "No!" All attention snapped to her again. "How can you be sure? It's been centuries, right?"

Blue Koopa grimaced. "I don't like where this is going…"

Kraig looked at her. "What do you mean?"

"Think about it," she started, "first there was that freakshow with Ludwig's shadow and voice, then we started talking about how these are 'unusual circumstances,'" she mimed air quotes, "now there's talk of eclipses and centuries."

"Sounds like something out of a fantasy novel," Wendy said.

Ludwig shook his head. "We're a fire-breathing prince and princess who can cast magic. I think we are way past that."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Okay, just shut up," Blue huffed. "My point is, while the Star Spirits are definitely at work to make sure things get fixed from where they are now, what if there's some kind of metaphysical dark forces or something at work that got us to where we are now and also want to make sure they continue going bad and there goes your shadow again."

"WHAT?!" Ludwig snapped his head around just in time to see his shadow retreat back to a normal size and shape, but it was too late. He saw it. Everyone saw it, including Pauline.

There was a pause, silent enough for everyone to clearly hear Toadstool say, "Pauline, are you still there?"

"Peach, I'm here," she answered. "And we just got confirmation on that. Yeah, it's that Umbra thing."

"Umbra?" Blue repeated.

Kraig hummed. "That explains the talk of eclipses."

Wendy looked at Ludwig, who was still glaring icy blue daggers at his shadow. "Ludwig?"

"How long have you been there?" he growled. "What have you done?"

"Wait," Pauline said. "Mario has the map to track them, but how do we get from here to there?" A pause. "Okay, you're right. And I have a Koopa doctor here and a member of my security team, too. They're from Dark Land too. They might want to come along. Well, I don't know how much of a fighter Kraig is, but he'll definitely help if Ludwig or Wendy need treatment on the way."

"Excuse me?" Kraig started.

"Is that your 'I'm-the-doctor-get-over-it' voice? Sounds a lot like her 'I'm-the-boss-get-over-it' voice," Blue asked.

Pauline sighed in relief, "I'm so glad you said that. Because I was going to bring them along anyway. It's what Mario would do!" She chuckled. "I've said that a lot today. Okay, talk to you soon, hopefully face-to-face!" She hung up, and looked at the Koopas with a fire in her eye.

Blue got one in her own eye. "Whaddaya got for us, Boss Lady?"

"Kraig, get two wheelchairs," she ordered. "We're leaving."

"I'm sorry, no," he protested. "They are nowhere near ready to be cleared for discharge." He pointed at Blue Koopa. "And don't say anything about me being off-duty. I'm a doctor. I'm always on duty. And I know when patients need to stay until it is safe enough for them to leave."

Pauline and Blue didn't even look at each other. They just got behind Kraig together and pushed him towards the door.

"Then consider this a kidnapping. Now get those wheelchairs!" Pauline ordered as they shoved him out.

Wendy smirked. "I don't think we're in any shape to kidnap anyone."

Ludwig's expression matched his sister's. "I think the damsel in distress implied that she would be the one kidnapping us. Wouldn't that be a twist on an old cliché?"

"Also, I don't know much about hospitals, but would this technically be stealing those wheelchairs too?" Blue asked.

"If they get lost or destroyed, I'll write a check." Pauline picked up her notes and turned to the Koopalings. "Now listen up, you three."

*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*

"I can't believe I let you talk me into this," Kraig complained as the group made their way through Big Ape City. "I could lose my license for this, you know."

"Maybe under 'normal circumstances,'" Blue Koopa teased him. "And you totally could have gotten the hospital security team to kick us out, but you got the wheelchairs anyway. All Pauline said was 'get two wheelchairs.'" She poked him, "You wanted to do this."

Kraig buried his face in his hands. "Great, now I know exactly what the opposing lawyer will say."

"Maybe Pauline can get you a position as an on-site medic at the toy company." Wendy suggested as she wheeled herself along.

"I believe that would still require a medical license," Ludwig corrected, "but if you do ever find yourself needing to go to court, we would be happy to come as witnesses, provided the court date isn't the same as a kidnapping mission."

Kraig groaned.

Blue held up a hand with her finger and thumb close together. "That was this close to being comforting. Good job."

"In Ludwig's defense, comforting people is more Lemmy's thing." Wendy gasped, "Oh my gosh, he has to be over the moon after learning that Iggy's head injury isn't his fault."

Ludwig sighed. "The happy façade he's put on these four year will be nothing compared to when we finally see the true Lemmy again." He leaned over his armrest. "How do you feel about that, Umbra?" His shadow remained still. "No response? Well, no matter. You got sloppy enough to get caught. We'll find our brothers and then free our father from you. And then I wish to the Stars I never have to hear your voice in my head again."

"Quiet," Pauline hushed them. "We're here." They rounded a corner to find a construction zone set up around a giant hole in the concrete. One very familiar to Pauline. "Dewey? Louie? Moe? Debbie?" she called out, mentally patting herself on the back for remembering the names she heard earlier.

"Eh?" a voice responded. "Who's calling?" The Pianta walked around a bulldozer and waved when he saw Pauline. "Hey, it's da lady in red!" He jogged over to meet her. "Whoa, wit a whole Koopa posse, too. An' I know I recognize the two of yous." He pointed at Ludwig and Wendy. "Glad ta see ya up an' at 'em. Ya looked real messed up down dere."

"Suddenly I miss Roy," Wendy half-joked, propping her elbow on an armrest and resting her chin on her hand.

Pauline clasped her hands together. "Dewey, I need a favor. I know this probably breaks a ton of safety measures and protocols…"

"There's a lot of that going around today," Kraig grumbled.

"But the five of us need to get back into that chasm."

"There may be a Warp Pipe therein that can get us back home," Ludwig added.

The Pianta crossed his arms.

"Please?" Wendy begged, joining Pauline with folded hands.

"So dat little Star guy was right," Dewey finally said. He waved his hand and started walking back to where he came from. "Come on." The group followed him to find a giant crane prepared with a platform held at the edge of the chasm. "Get on an' Debbie'll lower ya down. We got a truck ton o' debris cleared out down below since ya fell, lady, so yous guys should be able ta move around wit'out any trouble."

Pauline couldn't contain herself and hugged the Pianta. "Oh thank you!"

The group moved on the platform, and Debbie lowered it to the storm drain below.

"There was a Star directly involved here!" Blue commented.

"Right?!" Wendy responded, stars in her eyes. "I wish we could meet him and thank him!"

"Well it's about time you showed up! I was worried I got the timing wrong!"

The group all looked around. Suddenly a small, glittering Star floated out from the dark of the tunnels. "Hi, my name is Twink!"

"Twink?" Pauline repeated. "I recognize that name! Didn't you help Mario and Peach after Bowser raided Star Haven?"

Twink jumped up and down. "Yup, that's me! I've gotten a lot better at granting wishes now. In fact, Eldstar sent me directly down here to help you guys a little." His face fell suddenly. "I think something bad is going to happen though. They never said anything, but all the honorable Star Spirits looked and sounded very serious when they summoned me." He perked up again. "But with everyone in all three groups working together, I'm sure it'll all turn out just fine!"

Ludwig smelled the dank air of the storm drain and wrinkled his nose. "Ugh. It smells just as bad as it did last night. No way I'll find the pipe through all this must."

"That must be where Twink comes in," Kraig concluded. He turned to the Star. "Twink, I wish for help finding the pipe that brought Ludwig and Wendy from their royal catacombs to this location."

"Follow me everyone!" he darted away to a dark corner, which his presence illuminated.

There was a small hole in the wall, much too small for anyone but him to fit through.

Blue looked through it. "So are we supposed to wish to be tiny or…?"

"Of course!" Ludwig gasped. "He used magic to block up the way we came! We never would have found the pipe. Not without my wand, anyway, but it broke when the tunnel collapsed, and I wish I knew where the pieces were."

Twink winked at the prince. "You mean these?" He held them high and placed them in Ludwig's lap.

Ludwig couldn't even laugh, even though his grin almost broke his face. "Wendy, give me your wand! Now!"

"Um, okay!" she stammered at his abrupt order and complied.

He carefully climbed out of his wheelchair and arranged the pieces of his want in order on the ground, kneeling in front of them.

"Oh, Your Highness, please try not to get your burns infected," Kraig asked.

"Relax, I know what I am doing," Ludwig reassured him. "Now, because I am using a wand I am unfamiliar with, using a mending spell on another wand will be rather shoddy. Unless of course," he looked up at Twink, "I can get a boost with Star Power."

Twink nodded, smiling. "I'll do my best, but I'll need help too." He looked at the others. "Can you all please focus for me?"

"Focus on what, exactly?" Kraig asked.

Before Twink could answer, Blue Koopa did. "Star Power is boosted in the Stars through focusing and really concentrating on your wishes. It's also boosted through the emotional support of those around you."

Wendy wheeled as close to Ludwig as she could without going over him or his wand. "So we all need to wish for Ludwig to be able to fix his wand perfectly, right?" She put a hand on his shell. "I know you can do it. You're the best magic user ever."

The others closed their eyes and focused on the Koopaling.

Ludwig held Wendy's wand over his own. Then he closed his own eyes as well and concentrated. He focused on his family and his magic training. He wished for healing for their bonds and their home. He opened his eyes. His wand was already in his hand, where Wendy's was just seconds earlier.

"It looks good as new!" Wendy exclaimed, clasping her wand to her chest.

Both Koopalings looked at their wands and at each other. "I never grabbed my wand…" they both wondered.

Suddenly Ludwig pointed his wand at Wendy and fired a spell at point blank range. A warm wave of energy radiated throughout the tunnel. Wendy gasped and shuddered as the spell worked its way through her. When the energy faded, everyone was silent, waiting for something to happen.

Wendy stood up from her chair, and kicked it back. "Ahh, that's much better." Despite having lost her makeup and her ribbon hanging loosely from her head in tatters, her beauty had returned with her health and energy.

Ludwig turned his wand on himself and repeated the spell. His burns faded, and even the chunk of hair that was missing sprang back to its full fabulous length and fluff. He stood and looked at Twink.

"Thank you for what you have done here," he said. "I think we can handle the rest. Go on home now. You can give the Star Spirits our thanks as well."

The little Star waved. "Always happy to help! Try to stay out of trouble, and we'll help you out again." With that, he swooped out of the tunnel and up into the sky.

Ludwig waved his wand casually and the two discarded wheelchairs disappeared. "Back where they came from. No need to write that check, Lady Pauline," he explained formally. "Now…" he turned and glared at the small hole in the wall, "to get rid of a fake barrier." He pointed and fired again.

The wall flashed and faded from existence, revealing the tunnel and the pipe within.

Before they entered, Blue Koopa stopped the group. "What if he's waiting for us in there?"

Ludwig shook his head. "He won't be. If anything, he is on his way to Morton special mountain spot to intercept the others. Especially Bowser. Because I do not know why, but between his urging me to use the Nomore spell the first time, his reaction to its success, and his responses in my nightmare…"

Ludwig's and Wendy's shadows both grew up the walls.

"Father's Umbra wants Bowser dead."

Spoiler: Kraig won't lose his license. But he doesn't know that yet. Shhhh!

Siph: Are we just supposed to guess what happened between the page break? Ya skipped a lot there, and suddenly everyone in Pauline's group knows everything.

There was an elevator ride, since you can't exactly take two patients in wheelchairs down a flight of stairs. Perfect place for a dialogue-heavy internal reveal between scenes. Does anybody really want that?

Siph: And how will they find Morton's special mountain spot?

Ludwig spent four years taking extra care of knowing where Bowser Jr. is so that he could avoid him. He's smart, so he'll know how to track down Junior.

Siph: Good responses to both my questions. You win this round.