Chapter 25 - Alignment Shifts
Bowser was getting a feeling of deja vu, finding himself tied up again with Mario victorious
and that accursed human beating him again as well. He was wondering what the heck he did to
deserve this...besides trying to kidnap the princess time and time again.
Mario, Luigi, and Princess Toadstool finally got around to meeting with the individuals from
Mobius. Seeing Mario and Sonic shake hands made both Anthony and T-Bone giggle slightly.
T-Bone even got out a camera to take a picture of that event to show both Nintendo and Sega.
"Well..." Sonic said, addressing the group, "we'd better head back to Mobius to make plans for
this great new partnership we're starting here. But first...hey Mario, what should we do with
shell-butt here?"
"I wish I could a tell you, Sonic," Mario said. "Because of the fact his a keep is where the
portal is, we may have to permanently relocate him to the Mushroom Kingdom dungeons. We can a
then head to Mobius to take care of your Robotnik problem."
"Hey!" Bowser said, trying to get the group's attention. "Before you shut me from society, I
gotta know...what's bad about this 'Robotnik' I kept hearing about while you were talking?"
"You DON'T want to know, Koopa," Link said. "Compared to Robotnik, you'd look like a good
guy!"
"Sounds like my type of fellow," Bowser said. "So give me at least this one request..."
Sonic looked at Anthony and Anthony just shrugged as if to say "Why not?" Sonic and Knuckles
then told Bowser about Robotnik's takeover of Mobius, going into details about the Roboticizer
and the enslaving of the Mobians, as well as the deaths caused by poisons created by the
Roboticizer. Even someone without psionics like Anthony had could sense the emotion involved
with what the two of them were saying. Anthony also sensed something else...namely Bowser's
reaction, and it wasn't what he expected! In fact, it manifested itself in Bowser vomiting off
to the side and showing tears in his eyes.
"That...that's...HORRIBLE! Even to my standards!!" Bowser said, trying to compose himself.
"My people...ENSLAVED like that!"
"YOUR people?!?" T-Bone said, surprised. "As Davie would say...what the phrack?!?"
"I'm willing to guess," Anthony said, "that the Koopa Klan were Mobian by birth and moved here
before the portals closed. How else can you explain turtles in a world of plant-based people?"
"Yeah, I guess...hey, does this mean Mario and Luigi came from our world?"
"Uh uh," Luigi said. "Me and my brother found a pipe that lead to this a world, without going
through any portals. Apparently, there's a some a magic that links our version of Earth to
Gardenia."
"Another version of Earth?" Anthony said, surprised. "Great...that's four altogether..."
"Getting back to the task at hand," Princess Toadstool said, trying to get the group back on
track. "Koopa, I hope you find our dungeons quite comfortable..."
"WAIT!" Bowser said. "I want to help you!"
Nearly everyone turned towards the Koopa king in shock. Help them?
"Yeah, RIGHT, Koopa!" T-Bone said. "I didn't beat you in all those games back on my Earth
just so we can believe you're turning good. What's the catch?"
"No catch! I want to help my kinsmen back on Mobius! I can..."
"You aren't listening, Koopa!" Knuckles said. "We...don't...believe...you!"
"Please, let me explain! It's on the level!"
"KOOPA!" Mario said, getting in Bowser's face. "There is a NO WAY we're going to trust you.
The situation in Mobius is too great to trust a backstabber like a you!"
"I understand, but..."
"Mario," Sonic said, turning towards Mario, "you want me to Sonic Spin this guy into a nice
paperweight?"
"Guys, hold on..." Anthony said with a note of seriousness. "I sense he's telling the truth.
Why NOW is beyond me..."
Another gasp of shock went through the heroes. They knew Anthony could sense emotions. Was
Koopa really...?
"Koopa," Anthony said, addressing the shellback. "Tell us the reason why you are willing to
help..."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The story Koopa told was beyond anyone's belief, even those who knew of Koopa's deeds like
Mario and Anthony did. Koopa told of how his Klan came to Gardenia to make a new home during
the Companions' campaign and of the building of his kingdom. The Klan kept to itself, not even
making contact with the Mushroomers or Floren because they weren't sure how the races would get
along. He then made a confession that made Mario's and Luigi's hair stand straight on end
under their hats. Koopa's original wife had died laying the eggs of his seven kids, and he
only attacked the nearby Mushroom kingdom out of desperation to get a mother for them...namely
the princess.
"I...didn't plan on being the bad guy..." Bowser said, finishing his story. "It's just...when
you're that desperate...you forget everything and say to Hell with how people view you.
Eventually I got used to being the bad guy, the only exception being when Smithy attacked. At
that time, you and I had a common goal, Mario. Now we have a common goal again. THAT'S why I
want to help!"
Everyone was surprised and shocked at this story. Anthony could tell he was telling the truth
and told the others this. Princess Toadstool felt sorry for Bowser, even letting a single tear
fall from her eye.
"Man..." Sonic said after Bowser was finished. "That was...if you hadn't lost your wife..."
"He wouldn't have been the bad guy..." Anthony said, finishing Sonic's thought. "Good thing
Davie isn't here...Koopa's story is similar to what happened to his father."
Mario walked up to the Koopa king and cut his bonds. He then did something unfathomable...he
extended a hand of friendship towards his nemesis. Bowser gladly accepted it, and both could
sense that the war was finally over.
Anthony still couldn't believe this was happening, yet he could sense Bowser's feelings were
true. "This could really tip the scale," Anthony thought to himself. He then addressed the
entire group. "We'd better head back to the portal and introduce the rest of Mobius to our
Gardenian friends. Looks like we'll be starting some major plans for Mobius's freedom from
here on!"
The group walked towards the portal, but Bowser stopped Anthony to talk to him.
"Um...human..."
"The name's Anthony."
"Anthony then...those powers you used. Are they...psionics?"
"They are....and before you ask, yes. I am of Sir Eric's bloodline."
Bowser's jaw nearly dropped all the way to the planet's core. "Whoa...well at least I was beat
by the best. Look...thanks for believing me. I may just be able to redeem myself now."
"Believe me Koopa, after seeing my favorite game characters change from fantasy to reality,
I've started to believe a lot of things can happen! Let's get moving..."
The two then hurried to catch up with the rest of the group.
Bowser was getting a feeling of deja vu, finding himself tied up again with Mario victorious
and that accursed human beating him again as well. He was wondering what the heck he did to
deserve this...besides trying to kidnap the princess time and time again.
Mario, Luigi, and Princess Toadstool finally got around to meeting with the individuals from
Mobius. Seeing Mario and Sonic shake hands made both Anthony and T-Bone giggle slightly.
T-Bone even got out a camera to take a picture of that event to show both Nintendo and Sega.
"Well..." Sonic said, addressing the group, "we'd better head back to Mobius to make plans for
this great new partnership we're starting here. But first...hey Mario, what should we do with
shell-butt here?"
"I wish I could a tell you, Sonic," Mario said. "Because of the fact his a keep is where the
portal is, we may have to permanently relocate him to the Mushroom Kingdom dungeons. We can a
then head to Mobius to take care of your Robotnik problem."
"Hey!" Bowser said, trying to get the group's attention. "Before you shut me from society, I
gotta know...what's bad about this 'Robotnik' I kept hearing about while you were talking?"
"You DON'T want to know, Koopa," Link said. "Compared to Robotnik, you'd look like a good
guy!"
"Sounds like my type of fellow," Bowser said. "So give me at least this one request..."
Sonic looked at Anthony and Anthony just shrugged as if to say "Why not?" Sonic and Knuckles
then told Bowser about Robotnik's takeover of Mobius, going into details about the Roboticizer
and the enslaving of the Mobians, as well as the deaths caused by poisons created by the
Roboticizer. Even someone without psionics like Anthony had could sense the emotion involved
with what the two of them were saying. Anthony also sensed something else...namely Bowser's
reaction, and it wasn't what he expected! In fact, it manifested itself in Bowser vomiting off
to the side and showing tears in his eyes.
"That...that's...HORRIBLE! Even to my standards!!" Bowser said, trying to compose himself.
"My people...ENSLAVED like that!"
"YOUR people?!?" T-Bone said, surprised. "As Davie would say...what the phrack?!?"
"I'm willing to guess," Anthony said, "that the Koopa Klan were Mobian by birth and moved here
before the portals closed. How else can you explain turtles in a world of plant-based people?"
"Yeah, I guess...hey, does this mean Mario and Luigi came from our world?"
"Uh uh," Luigi said. "Me and my brother found a pipe that lead to this a world, without going
through any portals. Apparently, there's a some a magic that links our version of Earth to
Gardenia."
"Another version of Earth?" Anthony said, surprised. "Great...that's four altogether..."
"Getting back to the task at hand," Princess Toadstool said, trying to get the group back on
track. "Koopa, I hope you find our dungeons quite comfortable..."
"WAIT!" Bowser said. "I want to help you!"
Nearly everyone turned towards the Koopa king in shock. Help them?
"Yeah, RIGHT, Koopa!" T-Bone said. "I didn't beat you in all those games back on my Earth
just so we can believe you're turning good. What's the catch?"
"No catch! I want to help my kinsmen back on Mobius! I can..."
"You aren't listening, Koopa!" Knuckles said. "We...don't...believe...you!"
"Please, let me explain! It's on the level!"
"KOOPA!" Mario said, getting in Bowser's face. "There is a NO WAY we're going to trust you.
The situation in Mobius is too great to trust a backstabber like a you!"
"I understand, but..."
"Mario," Sonic said, turning towards Mario, "you want me to Sonic Spin this guy into a nice
paperweight?"
"Guys, hold on..." Anthony said with a note of seriousness. "I sense he's telling the truth.
Why NOW is beyond me..."
Another gasp of shock went through the heroes. They knew Anthony could sense emotions. Was
Koopa really...?
"Koopa," Anthony said, addressing the shellback. "Tell us the reason why you are willing to
help..."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The story Koopa told was beyond anyone's belief, even those who knew of Koopa's deeds like
Mario and Anthony did. Koopa told of how his Klan came to Gardenia to make a new home during
the Companions' campaign and of the building of his kingdom. The Klan kept to itself, not even
making contact with the Mushroomers or Floren because they weren't sure how the races would get
along. He then made a confession that made Mario's and Luigi's hair stand straight on end
under their hats. Koopa's original wife had died laying the eggs of his seven kids, and he
only attacked the nearby Mushroom kingdom out of desperation to get a mother for them...namely
the princess.
"I...didn't plan on being the bad guy..." Bowser said, finishing his story. "It's just...when
you're that desperate...you forget everything and say to Hell with how people view you.
Eventually I got used to being the bad guy, the only exception being when Smithy attacked. At
that time, you and I had a common goal, Mario. Now we have a common goal again. THAT'S why I
want to help!"
Everyone was surprised and shocked at this story. Anthony could tell he was telling the truth
and told the others this. Princess Toadstool felt sorry for Bowser, even letting a single tear
fall from her eye.
"Man..." Sonic said after Bowser was finished. "That was...if you hadn't lost your wife..."
"He wouldn't have been the bad guy..." Anthony said, finishing Sonic's thought. "Good thing
Davie isn't here...Koopa's story is similar to what happened to his father."
Mario walked up to the Koopa king and cut his bonds. He then did something unfathomable...he
extended a hand of friendship towards his nemesis. Bowser gladly accepted it, and both could
sense that the war was finally over.
Anthony still couldn't believe this was happening, yet he could sense Bowser's feelings were
true. "This could really tip the scale," Anthony thought to himself. He then addressed the
entire group. "We'd better head back to the portal and introduce the rest of Mobius to our
Gardenian friends. Looks like we'll be starting some major plans for Mobius's freedom from
here on!"
The group walked towards the portal, but Bowser stopped Anthony to talk to him.
"Um...human..."
"The name's Anthony."
"Anthony then...those powers you used. Are they...psionics?"
"They are....and before you ask, yes. I am of Sir Eric's bloodline."
Bowser's jaw nearly dropped all the way to the planet's core. "Whoa...well at least I was beat
by the best. Look...thanks for believing me. I may just be able to redeem myself now."
"Believe me Koopa, after seeing my favorite game characters change from fantasy to reality,
I've started to believe a lot of things can happen! Let's get moving..."
The two then hurried to catch up with the rest of the group.