centerbWORLD 1/b/center
The sounds of whips and chains resounded around Bowser's kingdom. A trail of Yoshi creatures was dragging along, each chained from their hands and legs, as they marched inside the mining caved to work yet another day as slaves for the tyrannical reptile.
The conquest was swift and easy. No one was around to save the Mushroom Kingdom from Bowser's powerful attack, after the short alliance with Motherbrain (whom he doesn't trust much, actually), Bowser was able to get rid of his enemies and finally leave a nasty imprint of his triumph over this section of Videogameland.
As if the cuts and bruises left by whips weren't enough, Goombas were used to snap at the Yoshis' feet, to prevent any kind of slowdown in the line. Various Yoshi looked already tired, and the day has barely started for their arduous work. Any traces of smiles or that chipper attitude they once held was not there anymore, thanks to the crude treatment they kept receiving day after day.
"C'mon on, you lazy punks," Bigmouth snapped, cracking a whip on his hand. "Move the LINE!"
"Father vill be pleased to know that progress has veen abundant," Ludwig Von Koopa said smugly, "Every day ve keep finding more and more treasure in the caves."
"Yeah, daddy-o'll sure gonna reward us with a piece of the riches," said his equally-bratty sibling, "As long as Wendy doesn't find out about it, of course..."
They both turned their heads to look over at their sister, who was being treated by a Shyguy over a manicure. She sat on a yellow- hued Yoshi, relaxing as her nails were being worked on. Both Ludwig and Bigmouth let out a sigh of disgust, thinking of what their sister might've done if she had any idea about what they were talking about.
"Prince Ludwig! There is someone here to see you, sire. She calls herself Ociles-5, and claims to have a message to our dear King Bowser."
The brothers both looked at the Hammer Brother in front of them, kneeled as a robotic humanoid approached them, ignoring the soldier to her side and looking down at the Koopalings with a pair of yellow, cold eyes. Bigmouth stepped front, his chest puffing out while holding his whip with his left hand.
"What's the meaning of this intrusion? We ain't got no time to talk with you!"
The robot grasped Big Mouth by his right hand, and tossed him away with little effort. With a scream heard over more than a mile away, the Koopaling landed in a pit filled with Goombas, who munched upon his body simultaneously. Ludwig ignored the cries of pain from his brother, gulping with great effort as the robot leaned over him.
"Motherbrain requires your King's attention. He is expected to appear in two days in her sector."
No sooner did Ludwig nodded, that the robot picked him up, holding his throat with her right arm and glaring with her eyes which turned from yellow to a vibrant red in color.
"Nice...grip..." the Koopaling said with effort, feeling his air supply being cut right at the base of his throat. Ociles-5 relaxed her grip a bit, but her eyes still shone that vibrant red that clearly reflected her mood.
"Motherbrain does not forgive tardiness. Moreover, should your King fail to make his appearance, this sector, along with all of your lands, shall be taken over by our leader as punishment. You will be joining those Yoshi in hard labor. Is that clear?"
"Crystal..." Ludwig gasped, and was freed from her grasp. The young koopa landed on the floor with a heavy thud, made by his tiny shell on the sandy ground. He held his throat while trying to recuperate from the chokehold. Ociles-5 turned about and walked off; ignoring once again a sweaty Hammer Brother who remained kneeled throughout the scene. His armor kept shaking, showing his fear for the dreaded metal informer.
"Boy, she does have quite a temper, eh big brother?" Wendy asserted, filing her nails by herself this time.
"Shut up, Vendy." Ludwig said between gasps, looking over his shoulder at his sister. "Just...shut up and inform father dat ve got a problem..."
center***/center
"How is he faring, doctor?"
Krystal asked Doctor Mario as she waited outside in a hall of the castle. She has sent him to check on Nathan after passing out during the trip back to Videogameland. This attempt has not been practiced since the last time another human was called to defend the land. And that was a long time ago. She was afraid that he may wound up hurt, or even dead, therefore she asked the doctor to check him immediately for any sort of damage done.
"Oh well, he seems dazed, but other than that, he'll live." The doctor said in a passive tone of voice. "I suggest that he may be on bed for another day or so, before any attempts to get him up are done. Keep him under the prescription of two red pills in the morning, and one yellow pill at night until he is able to get up by himself."
The doctor searched inside his bag and brought a piece of paper, which was passed on to Krystal's hand. She looked at it and raised her eyebrows.
"A fee?"'
"Yes, well..." the doctor said, "I also need to eat, you know."
The blue furred vixen closed her eyes and tapped on the edge of her nose with a free hand. She folded the paper and handed it back to the doctor, who had a look of puzzlement on his face.
"As I recall doctor," she said, "You are a refugee of Bowser's takeover in the Mushroom Kingdom. Your meal here is exchanged for your services with no need for money."
"Oh." The doctor was now even more uncomfortable than before, scratching the back of his head with his right hand. "Well, forget about the fee then, I'll be on my quarters if you need anything else. You have a nice evening."
"You as well, Doctor." Krystal handed his fee slip back, "And thanks for your help."
The doctor nodded with a small, yet conservative smile, then trotted away on the hall, while humming a tune. Krystal wondered why he kept doing the same thing every time he finished a conversation with her. She leaned against the wall and fell deep into thought, with her tail twitching a bit. Was she doing the right decision? Bringing a gamer into videogame land without consulting with the rest of the resistance about it could bring issues. Another problem was what she was trying to avoid.
Then there was that record of the last man brought into this world. One that helped battle Motherbrain by joining forces with various heroes at that time. Link told her that he wield the mystical weapons only a Game Master could use, and that he eventually succeed in vanishing Motherbrain and her pirates to an abyss in space, leaving the land safe from her takeover. Even Ganon didn't dared to challenge the hero's power at the time, so he too, exiled himself from Death Mountain to a secluded place.
Of course that was then, and the man brought here was chosen accordingly, but whether or not he was the one was yet to be settled. She sighed and crossed her arms while trying to shake away her doubts. Whether or not he was the right choice was irrelevant at this point. She would have to work with whatever she had.
Now the question of whether he would adapt to his new life was critical. Items between the real world and videogame land are not the same, and that could probably damage his system, or probably even kill him. Then there was the question of brining him back from the graveyard of deleted characters. If the Extra Man effect does not work on him, then she would have to do everything in her power to keep him alive.
"Fox, I wish you were here to tell me what to do," she said, rubbing her tired eyes. After a few minutes of thought, she turned to the door and began knocking on it gently.
***
The iron shackles made Mortimer uncomfortable. The same would've said about the humid ambience of his surroundings, and the continuing lashes from the whip of the warden, leaving bruises on every other spot of the Yoshi's body. His green scales now were covered with purple and red marks, of blood being extracted by the sting of every hit received by his vile oppressors. With a renewed sigh, he began hammering on the walls of the cave. He grunted every time he raised the hammer, and winced whenever it was brought down on hard rock. His hands were tired, and it felt as if they would soon break apart from his wrists.
He kept wondering just what did his people ever do to the Koopa Kingdom. For all he knew, his race always have been known to stay about of trouble, and to never interfere in anything that would involve war or disputes with other races in the land. Out of nowhere, Bowser launched an attack on his territory, devastating the land, and oppressing his kind. There was no one to aid them on this, and the few Yoshi who dared defend their kin were quickly annihilated without a second thought.
Mortimer shivered at the recall of that massacre. His eyes reflected upon the shiny rock a tired and beaten Yoshi, but he knew deep inside that he one day would be free from this oppression. The question for now (as a matter of fact, the question was on his mind everyday since his capture) was to be able to escape this situation. To his right a Yoshi screamed, dropping the hammer hard on the floor. By the time Mortimer turned his head, a red-hued Yoshi lay on the ground, holding his right arm. He tried to move along with his chained feet towards the injured comrade, but he was pulled away violently, by one of the Hammer Brothers that stood guard the whole time. A yank from his chain, and Mortimer was pulled away, far from his friend of kin.
Grunts of protest came from the aggravated Yoshi, as well as a few kicks here and there. Mortimer was tossed against a rock formation violently, his back experiencing yet another version of pain. He stood there, motionless in the numbness of both pain and helplessness. The only thing he was the red yoshi being pulled away to its uncertain fate.
What a way to go.
Suddenly, his face met a hard slap from the Hammer Brother, knocking him to the right. Mortimer fell onto the ground wit another grunt, as the fiend came closer.
"If you don't get back to work, I will be more than glad to transfer you to the same situation your friend was put into." The warden picked up a shovel and tossed it to the Yoshi, right on top of his head.
However, Mortimer had already seen a glimpse of the object and threw his tongue at it, blocking it away, It landed on the surprised Hammer Brother's helmet, bouncing off with a heavy "clank". The Hammer Brother stepped backwards, holding his head as he let out a growl induced with pain.
"You little prick! I'm gonna smash your tender skull to a pulp!"
The Hammer Brother picked up his preferred weapon, a battle hammer, and brought it down to Mortimer's head. His aim was true, but the Yoshi rolled right under the blow, exposing the chain that kept him in the line. The hammer shattered the chain, setting the Yoshi free from his oppression. Mortimer stood up with all the efforts he could muster, and raced deep into the cave, away from the dumbfound Hammer Brother, who still had his weapon stamped to the floor.
Yoshis around the cave cheered Mortimer on, waving with their work tools and smiling at the courage of their friend. Soon after, a small group of Koopas and Shyguys appeared, chasing him into the cave as well. The Hammer Brother followed last, his anger increasing as his pride was stomped upon one of his own slaves.
Mortimer ran frantically inside, taking various routes the mining group has not explored before. He was trying to lose the oppressors by leaving them confused. The visibility was getting worse as he kept going, not many torches were planted this far away. The only light shining trough was that of the gems plastered onto the walls of the cave, but it was not helping much at the time being.
Behind him, the group of oppressors stopped on their tracks, partially because the Hammer Brother has told them so.
"Let him go," he said. "He will not last long running trough that uncharted area."
With that being said, he turned and walked back to the mining site, his followers close behind.
"I think I'll be having a bit of fun with the rest of these insects," he leered, looking at the rest of the Yoshis. He would've preferred punishing the same Yoshi that embarrassed him, but getting back at the rest of the slaves seemed as good.
And he did have ways to get back at anyone who dared making fun of him.
***
She was cheerful, bubbly, and full of happy thoughts, especially when it came to do her chores around the castle. She was once a member of the dreaded Troop Koopa under Bowser's regime, but now found comfort in doing everyday chores in the Neutral Kingdom. Today she was charged with an assignment she was not so familiar with, that is, to keep company to a human who became bed-ridden after his trip to Videogameland. Cleaning would have to wait for now.
Her name was Piper, and she was babysitting Nathan until further notice. She sat on a wooden chair to the right of Nathan's bed, keeping a caring eye over him. The only movements she ever saw from him was a few tossing around the bed, along with some moans of pain and anguish coming from his mouth.
She kept giving the medicine prescribed by the doctor just in hopes that he would come to his senses. At times, Nathan's eyes would open up, giving her a chance to notify Krystal that he was okay, but as soon as she decided to walk out the room, his eyes closed once again, giving way to the same routine of pain that he kept displaying. The room they both were in was veiled in darkness, the only source of light that ever shone came from the fireplace, and even so, it did not help much for Piper's vision. The green-scaled Koopa closed her eyes and rested.
Her eyes opened once more at the sound of a knock on the door, but before she could say anything else, it opened, making a faint cracking noise. Piper's face turned from a tired mood to a happy one, once Krystal's face showed trough.
"Is it alright if I come in, Piper?" She asked, then the vixen paced slowly inside once Piper nodded in approval. Krystal closed the door behind her once more, the door complained even further. Walking towards the other side of the bed, Krystal found an empty spot on another chair, and then sat down, while looking at Piper.
"Has he awakened fully?"
The young Koopa's face frowned this time, as she shaked her head slowly. She looked down at Nathan in sympathy, wondering what is that it could take for the human to get up from this state. At the same time, Krystal wondered the same, but her thoughts were also on what will it take to take back the freedom snatched from them, and how they will defeat their enemies when the time for liberation begins.
"At least we know that Bowser's forces are not interested on this war any further," Krystal sighed, touching Nathan's right hand with her paw.
"I'm afraid that is no longer the case, Princess Krystal." Came a voice from behind her, startled, Krystal turned to see who it was. A miniscule frame dressed in a purple magician's robe and pointy hat stood near her, his features pointed to that of a Koopa, wearing thick glasses that reflected small spirals on his eyes, and on his hands, a small wooden staff he bared.
"Wizy! How did you...that is, the door was-"
"Closed, I know." The magician Koopa finished with a hint of pride on his tone. Wizy was an unpredictable fellow, always appearing without warning. Krystal was glad that he was on her side.
"As I was saying, there has been a report of a flying ship hovering the Koopa Kingdom. There are speculations that this ship was not of Bowser's, but of General Scales."
"What?" Krystal said in a surprised tone. Her hands left Nathan's and clenched into fists, frustration colliding with surprise and shock. She was told once that Bowser neglected any other kind of contact with Motherbrain or her alliance after he had won control over the Mushroom Kingdom. But now both reptilian foes are meeting, and that made her feel even more desperate than before. Has Bowser tricked her and decided to side fully with the enemy?
"Ah...so
here he is..." Wizy pointed, "the Game Master himself, bearer of the
mystic weapons left by his predecessor...our savior, yes?"
"I...don't know." Krystal replied in a low tone, "I thought he was the answer to our prayers, but I am not so sure just yet. There's still the trouble of getting him up."
"Well, I am sure Doctor Mario has already attended him." Wizy commented, while holding his chin with his right claw. He peered closer to Nathan and studied him, observing every detail about the human. "You already know that his methods have been proven to be...quite effective."
"I know that," Krystal scoffed, "I never doubted the Doctor's abilities, yet he still sleeps! I don't know, Wizy, maybe there was a flaw on the prescription, otherwise, how can this man still be-"
The blue vixen caught a small glimpse of Nathan's eyes, which opened just briefly, then closed once again. Krystal turned her head fully, trying to catch the human in the act. She didn't succeeded as the human had his eyes closed once again.
Krystal leaned over after the human showed signs of wellness. She examined his face, but dared not touch his features. Instead, she picked up his right hand again, and leaned closer to him.
"How do you feel?" she said. "Can you stand up?"
A moan and a gesture from the human's arm were about the only thing she received as a reply. The vixen bowed her head and sighed, while closing her eyes.
"Perhaps some water will help?" Offered Wizy, who was just besides her. Krystal opened her eyes again and turned to see Piper, standing beside the doorway.
"Piper, please fetch us some cold water," said she, after a few seconds of consideration. The female Koopa nodded, already rushing trough the door.
Meanwhile, Nathan shifted his body, groaning in sheer confusion. He held his head with his left hand and complained some more. Krystal held his right hand, patting it with her paw. Concern read all over the vixen's face.
"Maybe we over did it a bit," she said. "I am still not sure if bringing this human here was a good idea, Wizy."
"I am sure this is the way it meant to be." assured the Koopa sorcerer. His hands were locked together on his staff, looking at the human trough his thick eyeglasses. "If he is indeed, the new Game Master, then we have yet to sustain hope."
Piper entered the room once more, carrying a bucketful of cold water. She walked with sheer carefulness, not letting a single drop of the liquid splash over the floor. She rendered the room spotless before Nathan was brought inside of it. Hardly a speck of dust was visible on the furniture. Having a mess here was about the last thing the female Koopa maid wanted.
"Here's the water!" she said in a cheerful tone, "Would you like anything else?"
"Thank you, just set it beside me," Krystal replied, letting go of Nathan, "And no, nothing else is needed. Leave us for now, Piper."
With a slight bow, Piper walked outside the room once more. Krystal took a towel that was inside the bucket and squeezed the excess water from it, but set it aside. She then grabbed the bucket with her paws.
And splashed the contents on Nathan's face.