Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah, move along...

Author's Notes: Looks like your normal interlude to me.

Warnings: Cursing. I believe that's it! ::dances about::

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After the Outing
Interlude I
A Super Mario Brothers fan fiction by Pisces

Twenty Years Future Time

The tree limbs flashed by, snapping ruthlessly against his arms and face, his harsh pants loud in his own ears. His quarry was clearly visible ahead, even with the dark of night and forest canopy, and he could hear the sounds of his squad crashing through behind. He blinked, lost sight, and hastily dodged the abrupt blow, darting to the side, body twisting away from jagged, deadly claws. Foot catching hold of a upraised root. Tumbling to the ground with a sharp cry. The target snickered, tipped his 'stolen' mushroom hat, and was off.

Snarling obscenities, Sol Stephen brushed off the helping hands of one of his men, stumbling to his feet to take up the chase once more.

They were nearing the clearing. He couldn't loose him now.

Sol gave a silent nod to O'Brien and Williams, who broke away from the group and raced off to circle around. On his other side, Riley and Harris did the same. Sneering maliciously, Sol put on an extra burst of speed. That bastard wasn't going to get away from him this time.

He smashed through the tree line with startling suddenness, and stumbled to a halt, hands falling uselessly to his sides.

Instead of the grass covered dirt ground that should have occupied the clearing's middle, a deep, wide pit took it's place. And balancing precariously at the very crumbly edge, crouching down with sickening ease, was their target.

He hadn't fallen in.

Damn.

Sol took a step closer, motioning to those behind to keep their positions. Their 'prey' stared down into the crater, unheeding of the supposed threat around him, the unbelievably angular planes of his face awash with the pale white light radiating from within the cavity's depths. With cat-like grace, the target rose from his gargoyle stoop. Unsettling ebony met blue.

"I remember."

So saying, starlight shinning in the midnight orbs that had once been set within normal features, the gangly man took one step back, and fell.

Sol blinked, understood, and rushed forward just in time to see his target's limp, excepting body engulfed by the portal below.

"Well... shit."

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Pisces: ::drags badly beaten self up on couch:: 20 some odd pages into the story and the plot is finally kicking in...

Peach: We weren't even in it! ::others look threatening behind her::

Pisces: Epp. ::makes mad dash out door::

Mario: ::points dramatically after Pisces:: Get her! ::all run out, guided by the sounds of Pisces's screams::