-Chapter 7-
Realizations
E. Gadd's Lab
Mario and Luigi faced off with Basilisx, who looked them up and down.
"Well, now I've seen everything," he mused. "When I heard that someone had managed to take down Mouser and Tryclyde, I didn't know what I was expecting. But it certainly wasn't a fat peasant in overalls who reeks of tomato sauce and garlic."
"Hey!" Mario took a step forward. "Why don't you come and say that to my face, Mr. Turtle Soup Can!?"
Luigi grabbed Mario's shoulders. "Mario! Calm down!"
Basilisx chuckled darkly.
"You really don't know who you're dealing with, do you, Red 'Stache?" He raised his right arm, a spring-mounted blade popping out from the wrist of his gauntlet. "I am Captain of King Bowser's elite guard. Thousands of beings across the Mushroom World, far more intimidating and skillful than you, have fallen to my blade."
"Eh, so you got a fancy sword-glove. Big deal," Mario replied flippantly. "Guys like you are all the same. You spend all your time pushing around people weaker than you, so when someone who actually fights back comes along, they kick your butt! That's all you and the Koopa Troop really are! A bunch of bullies who throw your weight around and scare everyone into doing what you want! Well, it's not gonna work on me." He readied his hammer. "So come on, tough guy! Show me what you're made of!"
"Oh, don't worry."
Mario perked, turning to find Basilisx had somehow gotten behind him despite the brothers not even taking their eyes off of him. "Huh?!"
"I already have."
At that moment, Mario's right overall strap snapped and came apart.
"What the heck?!" Luigi exclaimed. "I didn't even see him move!"
"That could just as easily have been your arm, plumber boy. Or your neck. Still think I'm just a bunch of hot air?"
Mario grimaced. "Okay, so you're a little faster than usual. But nothing I can't handle."
He swung his hammer with a yell, only for Basilisx to easily dart aside. Gritting his teeth, Mario swung again, only to get a similar result.
"What's the matter, Red?" Basilisx taunted. "Can't you hit me?"
Clasping the hammer with both hands, Mario brought it down with all his might in an overhead smash. This time, Basilisx stood still, taking the strike right to his head. He barely even flinched, whereas Mario was left shaking from the recoil.
"Guess that answers that," Basilisx swatted Mario's hammer aside, knocking him off balance before tucking into his shell and spinning in place. "Now it's my turn!"
His shell shot off like a rocket, plowing into Mario's gut. Time seemed to slow down as Luigi watched his brother get pummeled before flying back into a wall.
"Mama mia...he's so strong!" he thought, terrified. "This guy's on a whole other level than that mouse and snake guy, and he's just a Captain?!"
"You there, Green Man."
Luigi snapped to attention before turning toward Basilisx, who was staring right at him.
"M-Me?"
"I just thoroughly trounced your brother without even breaking a sweat. Aren't you going to do something about it?"
Luigi could only stand there. Despite his best efforts, he was frozen stiff with terror.
"I see. You must be the brains of the two of you. That's good. Your game will last longer." Basilisx popped out his wristblade. "Him? Not so much."
He pulled Mario up by the collar, his blade aiming for his neck. "So, Red Man... any last words? If you cry out 'mercy,' I'll make it quick and painless."
Instead of responding, Mario punched him in the face. Basilisx just narrowed his eyes in response.
"Slow and agonizing, good choice. A personal favorite, honestly."
Seeing his brother about to be killed, Luigi finally steeled himself. He came running in, hammer at the ready. Basilisx had just enough time to turn around before the hammer slammed into his face, knocking him off of Mario.
"Mario, come on!" He grabbed Mario's hand, taking off down the hallway where Professor Gadd and Plum had gone. Basilisx stood up, shaking off the cobwebs.
"Alright, now I'm angry." He turned to his soldiers. "Why are you idiots just standing there?! Go after them!"
The soldiers instantly snapped to attention before pursuing the Mario Bros.
-X-
Mario and Luigi hurried into the hangar for the Marine Pop, where E. Gadd, Plum, and Toad were readying it for sea travel.
"Get this thing moving!" Mario shouted. "They're coming!"
A loud smashing noise reached their ears.
"Uh-oh…" Toad gasped.
"Professor!" Plum cried.
"I'm on it!" E. Gadd began frantically pressing buttons on the Marine Pop. "Bitonic batteries to power...turbines to speed... Queuing dramatic chase music..."
"Go! Go! Go, go Mike!"
"Whoops! Wrong disc!"
"Professor..." Plum sighed.
"Ah! Here it is!" E. Gadd played the correct music (1). "Huzzah! We're set! Quick, get in!"
The Bros. quickly hopped in. Just as it began to take off, the Koopatrols kicked the door to the hangar in. Basilisx scowled as he saw the Marine Pop, as well as who was driving.
"You've evaded Lord Bowser long enough, Elvin!" he declared.
"Basilisx…" E. Gadd went pale.
"This time, you aren't getting away!" Basilisx and his forces charged at the Marine Pop.
"And… go!" E. Gadd slammed on the accelerator, the Marine Pop taking off. A few Koopatrols landed on the sub, but many missed the jump and landed in the water. Basilisx was among the few to make the jump.
"Ohhh, Ukiki poop," E. Gadd cursed.
"Yes," Basilisx readied his blade. "Stop the ship, old man, or we'll sink you all to the bottom of the–"
He was cut off when Mario tackled him, the two wrestling on the ground for a moment or two.
"Men, take them out!" Basilisx ordered.
"Sir!" the Koopatrols saluted.
"Oh boy…" Toad gulped.
One Koopatrol prepared to attack Toad. "Say your prayers, pizza topping!"
Before he could even try it, he was whacked with a golf club.
"FORE!" Plum shouted as the Koopatrol went flying into the water. "Trusty five iron. Never leave the lab without it."
Meanwhile, Basilisx managed to pin Mario to the ground, but Mario planted his feet in the Koopa's belly before kicking him off. Basilisx caught onto one of the rails around the Marine Pop, stopping himself from plunging into the drink as Mario got up.
"Oh please, Red," he scoffed. "If you were powerless against me back in the lab, what do you really expect to do now?"
"This!" Mario shot back. "Professor, turn!"
"Right!" E. Gadd turned sharply. Mario caught onto the railing, but Basilisx wasn't so lucky, losing his footing and striking his head against the wall. He shouted in pain, shaking his head before scowling.
"You're only making it worse for yourself, Gadd!" he hissed.
"Bowser already wants me dead!" E. Gadd shot back. "How can I possibly make it worse?!"
"Simple! I kill you!"
Basilisx got up before charging at E. Gadd, but Mario reacted quickly. Vaulting over one of the chairs, he came down with both feet, stomping on Basilisx's head and driving it back into the shell.
"Game over, Basilisx!"
Suddenly, something went flying down into the water. They all looked down, seeing all that was left of Basilisx was his armored, spiny shell.
"Whoa..." Toad gasped.
"Holy..." Plum managed.
"Gadzooks..." E. Gadd managed.
"Ha!" Mario boasted. "Just another big bully, like those goons in town."
"Mario...you beat Captain Basilisx," Toad realized. "He's one of Bowser's biggest, baddest troops! 'Tough' is too wimpy a word to describe him!"
"And you just stomped him like he was a regular Koopa Troopa!" Plum added.
"Well, he was more focused on the Professor," Luigi offered. "Maybe Mario took him by surprise?
"Whatever the reason, he's down," Mario said. "So all that's left is Bowser's Castle."
"Uhhh...not quite…" E. Gadd pointed ahead, allowing everyone to see a Koopa warship floating in the distance.
"It's one of the Koopa Troop's Destroyers!" Toad exclaimed.
Mario looked at it, seeing that in addition to being made of metal and bearing fearsome looking cannons, the ship bore black flags and a golden figurehead on the bow, both bearing Bowser's face. "I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say Bowser's a bit conceited."
"Oh yes, he's very full of himself, too." E. Gadd confirmed. "Likes to slap his ugly mug on anything that will fit it."
"Well right now, that ugly mug is about to blow us all to Kingdom Come!" Luigi exclaimed.
The cannons took aim at the Marine Pop before firing massive black bullets with eyes and stubby white arms, the eyes flashing red as they came flying in.
"By Grambi!" Plum shouted. "Incoming Bullet Bills!"
They all ducked as the Bullet Bills came flying in.
"Professor, please tell me this crate has some kinda weapon system!" Toad begged.
"No, but it does have torpedoes!"
Toad facepalmed. "That is a weapons system, you crazy old bat!"
E. Gadd perked. "It has a weapons system!? That's excellent! Readying the torpedo launcher!" Gadd pressed some buttons, a cannon emerging from the front of the sub. "Torpedo launcher online!"
"Fire!" Mario shouted.
"Where?! Oh, right…" E. Gadd pressed the button, a torpedo flying out at the Destroyer. As this was going on, Toad turned to Plum.
"Is this guy really a genius?" he asked.
"Let's just say Professor Gadd is very absent-minded and leave it at that."
The torpedo landed a direct hit on the Destroyer, exploding.
"Did we get it?" Luigi asked.
The ship began to tilt backward and into the water.
"I'd say yes," said Mario.
Everyone cheered.
"Ha!" E. Gadd cheered. "In your face, Basilisx, you fat-beaked buffoon!"
With that done, Luigi turned to E. Gadd, curiosity peaked. "Professor, do you mind if I ask you something?"
E. Gadd shrugged. "Shoot."
"Do you have any... history with the Koopa Troop?"
"Well, let's see…" E. Gadd adjusted his glasses. "It was about five years ago, give or take. I was in the middle of concluding my research on the courting habits of Thwomps when one day, there was a knock on my door. But when I answered it, I was greeted by the most terrifying thing I'd ever seen… Bowser, King of the Koopas himself, in the flesh!"
"You met Bowser?!" Mario exclaimed.
"Indeed…" E. Gadd sighed. "He wanted me to join him as his Royal Scientist. Promised me great rewards if I developed new weapons for his army. Wealth, fame, power...a giant sandwich."
"I'm guessing you turned him down and he didn't take it well?" Toad asked.
"Indeed. I was tempted though...that sandwich was salami. But I told him he could take his tainted salami and shove it! He's been hunting me down ever since." E. Gadd removed his glasses, wiping them with a rag. "Yeah... I found out the hard way that Bowser doesn't take too kindly to rejection. If he wants you to join him, he'll make you. And once you're in the Koopa Troop, there's no getting out. You belong to Bowser, and you'll serve him until the day your game ends. Or he grows tired of you. Same thing in the end."
Mario grimaced, then suddenly, E. Gadd's demeanor changed right back to happy.
"But enough about that, we've got a busy day ahead of us, so you all had better get some rest."
"Yeah…" Mario winced, rubbing his side. "I heard that."
Toad hung his head in sadness, thinking of Saul T.
"I still can't believe Saul did that," he lamented. "He was my friend. How could he double-cross me?"
"People do crazy things when they're afraid, Toad," Plum told him gently. "Especially when their lives are in danger. You know the grip of terror Bowser and his minions have around these parts. It's not pretty."
Mario looked at Plum, the girl's eyes filled with sorrow. She looked as if she's remembering something painful, but shook it off.
"Anyway, I don't know about you guys, but I'm beat. I need to lie down for a few...days."
As she sat down in a chair, putting it in a reclining position, Mario looked out at the sea, fists clenching in righteous anger as he thought of everything he'd seen and heard.
"Everywhere we go, someone's getting pushed around or stepped on by Bowser and his goons," he said, more to himself than anyone else. "This isn't just about saving Peach anymore. He needs to pay for everything he's done..."
Mario reclined back as well, putting his hat over his eyes like a sleep mask.
Plack Beach
Several Koopatrols looked around.
"What's taking him so long?" one asked. "The raid was supposed to end thirty minutes ago!"
"Think we should go check it out?" another questioned.
"No way," said a third. "Captain Basilisx gave us orders not to leave our posts without his explicit orders."
"Right…" the first Koopatrol sighed. "Could he at least given us something better to do than this, though? I swear, that jerkwad has all the fun!"
"Care to repeat that, soldier?"
"Eek!" the Koopatrol spun around. "C-Captain! Nothing sir! Absolutely noth...!"
The goons turned to see Basilisx stomping toward them, dripping wet and clad in nothing but boxer shorts and a chainmail undershirt, and looking very irate.
"Sir?" the second Koopatrol asked. "Did... did the plumber beat you?"
"He didn't 'beat' me," Basilisx snarled. "He got lucky with a cheap shot while I was going after Gadd. Knocked me out of my shell and into the sea. As such...I'm feeling a little...annoyed."
"I'm... sure you'll get him next time, sir," said the second one.
"I will. For now, where's the fungus? Did he manage to get away too?"
"No sir. He's still here on the ship where you left him."
"Good. Bring him here."
The goons saluted before bringing a captive Saul T. forward.
"Captain Saul T., I'm afraid those accursed Mario Bros. and Professor Gadd made an Ukiki out of me. And since they're not here to pay for it…" Basilisx held out his hand. Saul T. began hyperventilating, his mushroom cap releasing a small puff of spores as one of Basilisx's men handed him a large silver rod with a red dome-shaped gem on top.
"No, not the bricking!" he cried out, struggling in vain to escape from the Koopatrols holding him. "Please, Captain Basilisx, anything but the bricking! No, this isn't fair!"
Undaunted, Basilisx raised the wand, which began glowing ominously.
"Please, I'm begging here! I did everything you asked! Don't do this to me!"
Basilisx waved the wand, a flurry of colorful shapes hitting Saul T. and surrounding him. He screamed in pain and terror, which was cut off when, in a puff of smoke, he was transformed into a simple red Brick Block.
"Stupid mushroom," Basilisx growled. "You belong to the Koopa Troop. To Bowser. Your lives are ours to do with as we wish." He turned to his men. "Take him back to the castle. I need to report this to King Bowser."
The Koopatrols hoisted up the Brick Block that was once Saul T., hauling him off and following Basilisx out of the square. As they went, the Toads and other civilians in the harbor watched them go, glaring at them not with fear as they did before, but with utter hatred and fury.
Dark Land
Meanwhile, back in Dark Land, Peach was creeping around the castle, sticking to the shadows when she heard a loud, angry shout and saw a jet of flame shoot out of a door down the hall.
"WHAAAAAAT?!" Bowser roared. "He took out Basilisx?!"
"I'm afraid so, Your Wickedness," Kamek stammered. ""N-Not from lack of trying, mind you. They were fighting on a...relatively small submarine, if I recall correctly."
"I don't care if they were fighting on a magic carpet! That's three of my elite soldiers taken down by these guys!"
Peach crept over to the door, leaning against it as they went on. Bowser paced back and forth, steam briefly erupting from his nostrils as he vented.
"The great and powerful Koopa Troop, bested by a Toad shopkeep and two nobody plumbers from the Metro Kingdom," he whirled on Kamek and Kammy, flame barely restrained by his teeth. "What am I PAYING YOU PEOPLE FOR?!"
Kamek ducked behind Kammy as Bowser took a deep breath, composing himself with an effort. "Alright, focus. If I were someone other than me, Jaydes forbid, what would I do to take me down?"
"They're likely heading to the castle as we speak." Kamek pointed out.
"Yes, but how do we stop them?" Bowser thought before getting an idea. "That's it! Kammy, is the you-know-what finished yet?"
"The… you-know-what?" Kammy asked. "I-it has a few kinks in it, but-"
"Then get it set up!" Bowser ordered. "Playtime is over. No matter what, those damned Mario Bros. need to be put out of my misery. Ready Operation Fakeout."
"Operation Fakeout," Peach muttered. "I don't like the sound of that…"
Her blood ran cold as Kammy perked, turning to the door.
"Who's there?!"
Peach took a deep breath, making high-pitched squeaking noises (2). After a minute, Kammy sighed, rolling her eyes.
"Just one of those rodents. Probably a Scaredy Rat or Rat Funk."
Peach wisely decided to get away from the door and duck down another hallway at that.
"That was too close…" she muttered. "I've got to find some way to warn Mario."
Author's Note:
(1): Basically, the opening theme for Season 2 of Stupid Mario Brothers.
(2): Think like that one bit in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker where Link mimics a kitten while sneaking after the thief on Windmill Island.
There we have it. Mario has survived Basilisx, and his actions, and those of Basilisx, are beginning to stoke the fires of rebellion. The "Realization" title is simple: Mario realizing that this mission isn't just about saving Peach, but making Bowser answer for his heinous acts.
Next chapter, we see exactly what Operation Fakeout is.
Please R&R. Until next time!
