***
After they recovered from the initial shock of finally being within reach of their goal, Lemmy pointed out the obvious.
"Where do we go from here? We still don't really know where we are."
"Um," Wendy faltered. "Maybe we could. Uh. no, wait. Erm, I really have no idea."
"I guess we'll have to ask someone then," Lemmy sighed. He approached a small Toad and crouched down to its' height. "Do you know where we are?" The young Toad froze for a moment, and then began to scream.
"Mommy!" it wailed suddenly. The Toad's mother rushed over and picked up her bawling child. Lemmy was about to ask her the same question, when:
SLAP!
The blow came too fast for Lemmy to react. He stood there in a daze while the upset Toad screamed something about him being a monster and warned him to stay away. Confused, he walked back to Wendy.
"What was that?" Wendy questioned. "What did you do?"
"I don't know," Lemmy felt his face, which still stung. "But it hurt!"
"The nerve of some people!" fumed Wendy. "Just because we've taken over half of their land, doesn't mean they have the right to." she trailed off, realizing she'd just answered her own question. Being the offspring of Bowser probably didn't allow for a very good reputation around these parts.
"We'll just have to find the way ourselves then." concluded Lemmy. "You know, I wish my circus ball were here. I've never walked for this long without it."
Every Mushroomer they saw went out of his or her way to steer clear of them, and those that didn't tried to act as if they weren't even there. Although somewhat unsettling, this did make the walk easier for the two Koopalings. The way the crowds parted when they came through, you'd have thought one of them was Moses or something.
Lemmy suggested that maybe they should get out of the town. It was pretty clear that they weren't going to get a word out of any Toad around that place. Wendy didn't disagree; she was beginning to dislike the eerie silence that filled the street whenever they turned a corner.
After a few more minutes of walking, they nearly bumped into a small sign. Wendy bent over so that she could read it.
"It says that there's an exit over there," Wendy pointed to her left.
Sure enough, there was a small building, which seemed to be a lookout tower. Beyond it was some kind of side road. They walked over but were puzzled to find the door locked, even though there were lights on inside. Wendy knocked as hard as she could.
"Hello?" she called. "Anyone there?" Hearing this, a Toad in a guard's uniform opened the door a crack.
"None on your kind are allowed in!" he spat as he looked up at them.
"Aww, but we're already inside!" Lemmy pointed out. He probably would have just pushed his way past him had it not been for the spear the Toad was holding. "C'mon, let us out!"
The guard considered this for a moment.
"Come in," he said reluctantly. "But go right out the back door, and don't try anything funny. I'm watching you."
Lemmy sighed as he and Wendy quickly walked through the building. They looked around. Nothing fancy, the building was probably only used as a defense station to keep out unwanted visitors. With a defense system like that, Wendy thought, it was no wonder that King Dad had managed to kidnap Princess Peach so many times.
They didn't have much time to look around, because as soon as they reached the back door they were practically booted out of the building.
"And don't come back!"
"Well, I never," she muttered to herself. She stood up and dusted herself off. "If that's the welcome I'm going to get, I don't want to come back anyways."
They continued walking in silence. While Wendy was noticing how beautiful the countryside was, Lemmy was wondering something else. How long had they been gone for? Had anyone even noticed that they were missing? Would they ever get home? He was so deep in thought that he failed to notice the large red rock blocking his path. That is, until he tripped over it.
"Oww!" he moaned. "Why do these things always happen to me?"
Wendy helped him get to his feet. They almost jumped out of their shells when a voice suddenly yelled at them.
"Hey! Watch where you're going!"
It was the rock! A Koopa's head popped out. It wasn't really a rock at all, but the shell of a Koopa Troopa. They could tell that it was a Troopa by the sunglasses it wore. It emerged fully and stood up. It seemed about to tell them off, when it suddenly realized who it was speaking to.
"P-p-prince Lemmy!" it trembled. "And Princess Wendy! Forgive me, I didn't know it was you."
"Of course you didn't," answered Wendy.
"Humble commoner," began Lemmy "Wouldst thou discern the nearest route to mine noble castle?"
"Huh? I-I- I'm afraid that I don't understand."
"Oh, stop it, Lemmy." Wendy jabbed her brother in the stomach. "What he means is that we're lost, we'd like to know where we are and also the quickest way home."
"Oh!" exclaimed the Troopa. "Right now you're in Grass Land. If you're looking for a way home, I'd suggest you take one of those warp pipes over there." He pointed to a large clump of bushes. "Normally, the Piranha Plants would make you pay to use them, but I'm sure in your case they'd make an exception."
"Thanks! Come on, Lemmy."
"I thank thee, humble commoner! Make haste to--Oomph! What was that for?"
"Just shut up and let's go!" said Wendy irritably.
The two Koopalings had to struggle somewhat to get to the warp pipes. The bushes and weeds were so overgrown and tangled that Lemmy supposed the pipes hadn't been used in a long time. Or maybe the Piranha Plants just liked it that way. In the middle of all the underbrush was a small clearing.
"Where are the warp pipes?" asked Wendy, looking around. "I don't see any pipes or Piranha Plants!"
Her question was answered soon enough.
"What are you doing here?" demanded a voice. The two looked in the direction of the voice to find about four warp pipes. There was a Piranha Plant snaking out the top of the innermost one.
"Hi," said Lemmy. "I'm Lemmy Koopa, and this is-"
"I know who you are!" the plant cut him off. It had a thick, irritating voice and breath that could knock over a horse. "But why are you here?"
"We need to use a warp pipe," answered Wendy.
"Unheard of!" the plant said quickly. "These pipes have not been used in years!"
"But we really need to use one," Lemmy argued. "Preferably one that leads us close to Bowser's Castle."
"I suppose," grinned the Piranha Plant. "But it'll cost you."
"You can have Wendy's bow," Lemmy said quickly.
"No, you cannot have my bow!" objected Wendy.
"Well, I don't have anything to give!"
"What about your necklace?" suggested the Piranha Plant. "I'm sure it would fetch a high price on the market."
After a small struggle, Lemmy managed to get a hold of Wendy's necklace and handed it to the large Piranha Plant. He held his nose and tried to hold his breath. The plant grinned smugly and indicated the warp pipe closest to its right.
"That pipe," it said. "Should take you very near to your castle."
"Thanks! Come on, Wendy."
"I'm not speaking to you,"
Lemmy sighed as he followed his sister into the warp pipe.
To be continued.
Rachelle Davison 2001
After they recovered from the initial shock of finally being within reach of their goal, Lemmy pointed out the obvious.
"Where do we go from here? We still don't really know where we are."
"Um," Wendy faltered. "Maybe we could. Uh. no, wait. Erm, I really have no idea."
"I guess we'll have to ask someone then," Lemmy sighed. He approached a small Toad and crouched down to its' height. "Do you know where we are?" The young Toad froze for a moment, and then began to scream.
"Mommy!" it wailed suddenly. The Toad's mother rushed over and picked up her bawling child. Lemmy was about to ask her the same question, when:
SLAP!
The blow came too fast for Lemmy to react. He stood there in a daze while the upset Toad screamed something about him being a monster and warned him to stay away. Confused, he walked back to Wendy.
"What was that?" Wendy questioned. "What did you do?"
"I don't know," Lemmy felt his face, which still stung. "But it hurt!"
"The nerve of some people!" fumed Wendy. "Just because we've taken over half of their land, doesn't mean they have the right to." she trailed off, realizing she'd just answered her own question. Being the offspring of Bowser probably didn't allow for a very good reputation around these parts.
"We'll just have to find the way ourselves then." concluded Lemmy. "You know, I wish my circus ball were here. I've never walked for this long without it."
Every Mushroomer they saw went out of his or her way to steer clear of them, and those that didn't tried to act as if they weren't even there. Although somewhat unsettling, this did make the walk easier for the two Koopalings. The way the crowds parted when they came through, you'd have thought one of them was Moses or something.
Lemmy suggested that maybe they should get out of the town. It was pretty clear that they weren't going to get a word out of any Toad around that place. Wendy didn't disagree; she was beginning to dislike the eerie silence that filled the street whenever they turned a corner.
After a few more minutes of walking, they nearly bumped into a small sign. Wendy bent over so that she could read it.
"It says that there's an exit over there," Wendy pointed to her left.
Sure enough, there was a small building, which seemed to be a lookout tower. Beyond it was some kind of side road. They walked over but were puzzled to find the door locked, even though there were lights on inside. Wendy knocked as hard as she could.
"Hello?" she called. "Anyone there?" Hearing this, a Toad in a guard's uniform opened the door a crack.
"None on your kind are allowed in!" he spat as he looked up at them.
"Aww, but we're already inside!" Lemmy pointed out. He probably would have just pushed his way past him had it not been for the spear the Toad was holding. "C'mon, let us out!"
The guard considered this for a moment.
"Come in," he said reluctantly. "But go right out the back door, and don't try anything funny. I'm watching you."
Lemmy sighed as he and Wendy quickly walked through the building. They looked around. Nothing fancy, the building was probably only used as a defense station to keep out unwanted visitors. With a defense system like that, Wendy thought, it was no wonder that King Dad had managed to kidnap Princess Peach so many times.
They didn't have much time to look around, because as soon as they reached the back door they were practically booted out of the building.
"And don't come back!"
"Well, I never," she muttered to herself. She stood up and dusted herself off. "If that's the welcome I'm going to get, I don't want to come back anyways."
They continued walking in silence. While Wendy was noticing how beautiful the countryside was, Lemmy was wondering something else. How long had they been gone for? Had anyone even noticed that they were missing? Would they ever get home? He was so deep in thought that he failed to notice the large red rock blocking his path. That is, until he tripped over it.
"Oww!" he moaned. "Why do these things always happen to me?"
Wendy helped him get to his feet. They almost jumped out of their shells when a voice suddenly yelled at them.
"Hey! Watch where you're going!"
It was the rock! A Koopa's head popped out. It wasn't really a rock at all, but the shell of a Koopa Troopa. They could tell that it was a Troopa by the sunglasses it wore. It emerged fully and stood up. It seemed about to tell them off, when it suddenly realized who it was speaking to.
"P-p-prince Lemmy!" it trembled. "And Princess Wendy! Forgive me, I didn't know it was you."
"Of course you didn't," answered Wendy.
"Humble commoner," began Lemmy "Wouldst thou discern the nearest route to mine noble castle?"
"Huh? I-I- I'm afraid that I don't understand."
"Oh, stop it, Lemmy." Wendy jabbed her brother in the stomach. "What he means is that we're lost, we'd like to know where we are and also the quickest way home."
"Oh!" exclaimed the Troopa. "Right now you're in Grass Land. If you're looking for a way home, I'd suggest you take one of those warp pipes over there." He pointed to a large clump of bushes. "Normally, the Piranha Plants would make you pay to use them, but I'm sure in your case they'd make an exception."
"Thanks! Come on, Lemmy."
"I thank thee, humble commoner! Make haste to--Oomph! What was that for?"
"Just shut up and let's go!" said Wendy irritably.
The two Koopalings had to struggle somewhat to get to the warp pipes. The bushes and weeds were so overgrown and tangled that Lemmy supposed the pipes hadn't been used in a long time. Or maybe the Piranha Plants just liked it that way. In the middle of all the underbrush was a small clearing.
"Where are the warp pipes?" asked Wendy, looking around. "I don't see any pipes or Piranha Plants!"
Her question was answered soon enough.
"What are you doing here?" demanded a voice. The two looked in the direction of the voice to find about four warp pipes. There was a Piranha Plant snaking out the top of the innermost one.
"Hi," said Lemmy. "I'm Lemmy Koopa, and this is-"
"I know who you are!" the plant cut him off. It had a thick, irritating voice and breath that could knock over a horse. "But why are you here?"
"We need to use a warp pipe," answered Wendy.
"Unheard of!" the plant said quickly. "These pipes have not been used in years!"
"But we really need to use one," Lemmy argued. "Preferably one that leads us close to Bowser's Castle."
"I suppose," grinned the Piranha Plant. "But it'll cost you."
"You can have Wendy's bow," Lemmy said quickly.
"No, you cannot have my bow!" objected Wendy.
"Well, I don't have anything to give!"
"What about your necklace?" suggested the Piranha Plant. "I'm sure it would fetch a high price on the market."
After a small struggle, Lemmy managed to get a hold of Wendy's necklace and handed it to the large Piranha Plant. He held his nose and tried to hold his breath. The plant grinned smugly and indicated the warp pipe closest to its right.
"That pipe," it said. "Should take you very near to your castle."
"Thanks! Come on, Wendy."
"I'm not speaking to you,"
Lemmy sighed as he followed his sister into the warp pipe.
To be continued.
Rachelle Davison 2001
