Chapter 4: Terrors at Teatime

"PAPA! We've got company!" the young koopa screamed at such a high pitch that Toad and Birdo winced, "So..." he turned to them, a telltale smirk on his little snout, "How's life?"

"Uhhm..." Toad began, not really knowing what to say to the son of his kingdom's arch-nemesis, "Good, considering the circumstances..."

Junior laughed, "Won't stay that way for long. How long do you think you'll stay here? Three days? Four?" he said, looking at Toad from the corner of his eye, "Nah, try the rest of your life!" the koopa giggled, enjoying the slight panic on the mushroom boy's face.

A low moaning sounded from the corner of the cell, and Toad turned to see Birdo picking up her egg and cradling it in her arms. It was in a worse condition than it had been before they fell down the pipe, and Toad could make out something black and shiny inside it.

"Why'd you bring the freak along?" Bowser Jr. scoffed, cocking his head in Birdo's direction, "We don't want her."

"What do you want with -me- then?" Toad spat.

"Isn't it obvious? You're the bait!" Junior chuckled, "Mario and the other losers will come for you, and we'll catch 'em. They'll be here with you, and Daddy's gonna go steal your princess and-"

"Idiot!" came a booming voice from around the corner, "Don't give away our plans, you fool!"

Toad identified the voice as the King Koopa, Bowser. And he was proven correct when the hulking monster rounded the corner, glaring at his son. Junior stepped down, lowering his head and taking his place behind his father, and proceeded to make faces at the back of his father's spiked shell.

Bowser straightened up and looked down on his prisoners, with a smile of ill-intentions plastered on his face, "You might want to look before you leap next time, fungus. Wouldn't want to get the wrong pipe, would you?"

"You know as well as I do that you tricked us!"

"Of course I do, which is what makes it so satisfying," Bowser said, leaning down and flashing a toothy grin, "It's not my fault you're horrendously stupid."

Toad resisted the urge to slap the koopa across his huge, scaly face, knowing that actually doing so would shorten his life significantly. Instead, he pouted and turned on his heel, stomping to the back of his cell and plopping onto a stinky, old cot.

"Whatever, you never win anyway, what makes you think you'll win this time?" he huffed, glaring at the King from the shadows.

"Ah, I don't think I will win. I know I will..." Bowser said. He turned to the koopa who was standing guard, "Make sure none enter the dungeons apart from myself. Understand?" the King said to him sternly, pointing a clawed finger at him.

The koopa nodded and saluted shakily.

"Sleep as well as you can, Fungus Boy. We won't be making you more comfortable here," Koopa said coldly, ascending the stairs from the dungeons, Bowser Jr. hot on his heels.

Toad rested his head on the stained and smelly old pillow, trying hard not to let his tears fall.

What if Bowser did succeed in his plan. He'd still be stuck in Bowser's Castle, along with the kingdom's only defense. They might even be killed. The princess would be gone, forced to remain with Bowser forever, because Mario wouldn't be there to save her.

If Mario and Luigi didn't come, they wouldn't be caught by Bowser, naturally. But there was a downside, if Mario and Luigi didn't come, he and Birdo would be trapped there forever. It was a lose-lose situation.

Unless they escaped...

Toad was suddenly struck with an idea and leapt out of the bed, dashing to the other side of the cell.

"Birdo, I have an idea!"

Princess Peach twisted the edge of the tablecloth in anxiety, they had been waiting almost two hours, and Toad still hadn't come. The Warp pipe was only a few blocks from the castle, and he shouldn't have had any trouble getting to Mario's House, considering he came on nearly a daily basis. She hoped he had only lost track of the time or had forgotten it altogether, even though the latter would have resulted in embarrassment on his part. It was still a better outcome than getting lost or hurt.

"They told me that he left an hour ago," Luigi said, setting the telephone back on the receiver and taking a seat at the table, which was neatly set out with tea and biscuits, still left untouched, "He didn't come back there, and they assume he's still on his way. Maybe he decided to walk?" he suggested, attempting to make light of the situation.

"Yeah, I'll bet that's what it is. He decided to walk here and enjoy the scenery. Your kingdom is rather beautiful, I don't blame him," Princess Daisy said, also trying to make an effort to cheer Peach up.

"Mario's gone to look for him, okay? Until then..." Luigi trailed off, trying to find a suitable way to pass the time, "How about golf?"

"I can't possibly play a game when my precious Toad is in trouble," the blonde princess sighed, shaking her head and declining the invitation.

"Tennis?"

"That's a game too, Luigi. Weren't you listening?" Daisy said through clenched teeth, elbowing him slightly, "Something else."

"Uhm, Mario Par- Oh. No games, right... Got it."

"I really should be out looking for him too," Peach said, rising from her seat and dusting herself off, even though her dress was spotless.

"Oh! We'll go with you!" Daisy exclaimed, jumping to her feet and dragging Luigi up with her, much to his surprise.

Once he regained his sense of balance, Luigi nodded, following them out the door and into the lush forest outside, "Yeah, you'll need escorts. Who knows what could happen out there, to someone all alone with nobody to protect them, or shout out before they get attacked by something, or-"

"But nothing like that would happen to someone all alone here anyway. It's perfectly safe" Daisy interrupted, afraid that Luigi's ramblings would upset the princess and make her worry even more about her little friend, "Isn't it, Luigi?"

"Oh yeah! Perfectly safe. Never been safer!"

Peach laughed slightly at their antics, despite the current events, and started on her way down the forest path, the Sarasaland Princess and one of the Super Mario Brothers in tow, now assuring her how safe and secure the Mushroom Kingdom is.

Mario had been searching high and low for the little Mushroom boy, in bushes, trees, houses, anywhere one could imagine.

"Mario!" called a feminine voice from down the path.

Mario perked up and whirled around, dropping the rock he had been looking under and rushing to the three figures that he had spotted down the path. "Hey!" he said, finally reaching them. "What're you all doing here? I thought you were going to wait back at the house?"

"Peach decided she should be looking too, so we followed her. You know, to make sure she doesn't get hurt or anything..." Luigi said, adjusting his hat.

Peach nodded, "Yes, that's why we're here. We are going to help you out. Toad can't be too far."

The foursome set off in search of their friend, through the deep, lush forest.

"Someone's gotta get that kid a cell phone..." Luigi muttered, before they disappeared into the forest, which had suddenly taken on a much darker, and more eerie atmosphere.