The Crossover Saga
By Stoney (stoney107@yahoo.com)
Author/Narrator: At last! In light of my birthday coming on August 5th (Sweet Sixteen! Yeah!) I have decided to grace you all with a new portion of this story. It's been awhile in coming, but here it is! Chapter 10 of The Crossover Saga! Yahoo! Caffeine is good, yes it is!
Chapter 10 Ground Zero
Darkness.
Above, a jagged bolt of light flashed, illuminating the dark gray clouds for a brief millisecond before vanishing. Booms rippled across the sky shortly afterward.
Another bolt appeared. The light lashed out at a large edifice on the ground, revealing stone architecture and castle turrets in the brief moment of visibility.
The light disappeared. Rumbles shook the heavens.
Darkness returned.
Now the lightning came in quick succession, allowing one to see more detail in the shape that blocked out the sky with its bulk. It sat upon a hill, steep in sides and bare of grass, for no sunlight could pierce the thick clouds above to let life grow there. At the top of the mound of earth sat the structure, surrounded by dark, unhealthy-looking liquid, and bridged by a massive wooden drawbridge. A steel porticullis had been lowered in front of the enormous door, which was closed and locked securely. Tiny barred windows peeked out of the stone like prairie dogs from their holes, their meager internal light doing little to help brighten the outside. Towers of stone and mortar jutted up from the building's top, their roofs pointed and sharp. The entire building squatted upon the countryside like an immense cancerous growth, flanked by distant mountains and basking in the darkness.
The squadron of SWATbots gazed at it impassively. The robot at the front of the group raised its arm to its voice speaker and activated a small radio. "Dr. Robotnik, SWATleader reporting in. We have located a new Zone portal."
Behind the group of robots, a glowing red portal tinted everything with a blood-red hue. Its swirling light reflected dimly off the steel chrome of the SWATbots' bodies. Another voice crackled through the transmitter on the leader's wrist. "Have you entered the portal yet?"
"Yes, sir." Was the emotionless reply. "The portal was guarded by several reptilic creatures carrying primitive weapons, but they have been dealt with." The robot didn't mention that its squadron had lost several robots to the guards, as well. "The area beyond the portal appears to be in the midst of a lightning storm. No rain is present. Ahead of us is what appears to be a replica of a medieval castle."
"Activate the cameras." Robotnik ordered. The digital "eyes" of the robots all lit up as what they were seeing was sent back to their master.
Robotnik studied the images closely on several of his monitors. They were distorted and lined with static due to interferance from the Zone, but he was still able to just barely make out some sort of building on top of a hill. Very interesting. He did not believe this Zone had been found before. This must be where Mecha had gone, apparently. But why hadn't the robot reported in to him?
"SWATleader, continue your search for Metal Sonic in the new Zone. I want reports on your progress every half hour. If Mecha is found, bring him back to base for repairs. Robotnik out."
"Affirmative. SWATleader out." The robot clicked off the radio, then turned to the other robots and said only two words; "Let's go." The group obediently marched in military formation toward the looming building ahead, until the reflections of the portal's light off their steel armor vanished into the darkness.
More lightning crackled overhead, framing the lone castle's contorted silhouette against the dark gray sky. Few wildlife survived in the unwelcome area, but some still managed to nonetheless. Long ago had they grown used to the bellowing rumbles from the heavens, to the point where they barely heard them anymore. They had not heard any other sound for years, until today.
"PLUMBER!!!!"
The sound could best be compared to that of a volcanic eruption, or an atomic bomb explosion. It shook the foundations upon which the stone-and- mortar building stood, causing avalanches of rocks and dirt to fall from the mountains several miles away. The storm rumbled in response.
Then at last the echoes of the scream died away, leaving behind only the dark semi-silence that had always surrounded Koopa Castle.
At ground zero inside the castle's stone walls, Bowser stood livid. His face had turned a deep purple, eyes bulging out of their sockets. Tiny flames shot out of his nostrils with each breath. His teeth and claws were clenched so tight that Kamek feared they might break. His entire body shook with fury. He was the one who had just screamed.
Bowser attempted to say something else, but his rage had rendered him incapable of coherent speech. He simply roared again, the sound temporarily deafening all present. At the opposite end of the castle, people winced at the noise. It sounded like several Tyrannosaurus Rexes bellowing at once.
Bowser might not have taken this new development so badly, if he hadn't just been informed by Kamek that the princesses weren't in their chambers when the Magikoopa had gone to check up on them. At first the Koopa King suspected they had merely gone on a walk through the castle or something (he didn't remember that he had locked their doors), But now Mario was here, and that almost always certainly meant he was breaking them out.
With amazing speed for someone so large, Bowser stomped right up in front of Mario and grabbed him around the neck with both claws. Mario gasped and choked as Bowser slowly began to squeeze, cutting off his oxygen supply. Bowser leaned in until his face was mere inches away from Mario's. The plumber kicked his feet and flailed his fists wildly in an attempt to hit the Koopa King; unfortunately, Bowser held him out away from his body and Mario couldn't reach him. His struggles only served to infuriate Bowser more.
"WHERE IS SHE, MARIO?!? WHERE HAVE YOU TAKEN HER?? ANSWER ME!!" He bellowed.
Mario winced at the noise and attempted to reply, but could only choke.
"WHAT WAS THAT?!" Bowser roared again, shaking Mario violently.
Kamek floated up to Bowser's ear-equivalent and quietly whispered. "My lord, perhaps you should put him down. He probably can't speak when you hold him like that."
Bowser growled loudly and almost didn't take the advice. There was something oddly satisfying about holding the one person who'd caused him so much trouble in such a helpless position. But his love for Peach overrode any thoughts of revenge. He released Mario.
Mario landed on the floor and immediately dropped to his knees, gasping and coughing horribly while massaging his sore neck. He felt very dizzy and nauseous, and there was a funny ringing noise in his ears.
Bowser leaned down and looked Mario square in the eye, his seemingly-calm tone masking the rage underneath. "I will ask you only one more time, plumber, and then I will get violent. WHERE. IS. PEACH."
"I...(cough)..."
"Take your time." Bowser suggested sarcastically.
"...I...don't know..."
Bowser slapped him across the face, leaving three long claw-marks in his cheek. The force of the blow threw Mario onto his back, with Bowser leaning over him.
"Wrong answer." The Koopa King growled. "You will tell me what you have done with her NOW, or I swear right now on the grave of the first Koopa King that I will rip you apart limb from limb in front of your friends."
Mario's mind raced furiously. He could feel the blood from his three new wounds seeping down his face. How was he going to get out of this one?
"Hey!" A shout came from Bowser's right. "Leave him alone!"
"Yeah," another voice joined the first, "what Mega said! SUPLEX!"
A flash of light made Bowser blink and squint. He looked in the direction of the disturbance to find Mega Man leveling an arm cannon in his direction and Kirby standing defiantly with a blue bandanna tied around his forehead. Bowser ignored the robot, but blinked in surprise at the other odd creature. He quickly got over it, though.
"Stay out of this, Powderpuff!" He snarled. It was the wrong thing to say.
Kirby's eye twitched. His skin turned deep red. He began to swell up like a balloon in rage.
"Uh-oh..." Mega Man muttered, slowly backing away from the seething Dreamlander.
"NOBODY...CALLS...ME...POWDERPUFF!!!" Kirby screamed. "NINJA DROP!"
With speed greater even than what Bowser had exhibited, Kirby rushed forward, grabbed Bowser around the waist, and jumped as hard as he could. To the amazement of all present, Kirby's momentum was strong enough to propel him and Bowser off the floor and through the ceiling. Unfortunately for the Koopa King, they were on the castle's bottom floor. Since he was taller than Kirby, his head took the brunt of the crash.and the one after that.and the one after that.
By the time Kirby's upward momentum ran out, he and Bowser had exited the castle through the roof, and the latter was in quite a lot of pain. Unfortunately, he was still conscious for what happened next. With expert precision, Kirby suddenly reversed directions as gravity's invisible hand began to pull on them. Bowser roared and flailed around as they both began to free-fall.
Sonic looked around frantically for the entrance they'd arrived through. Unfortunately, it had been covered up by the trash being moved inward by the compactor. "Try to brace the walls with something!" He yelled, grabbing the pipe he'd used as a brake earlier and jerking it out of the pile. He put it up against the walls, which promptly began bending it in half.
"No good!" Daisy cried. She and Peach were scrambling up the trash piles. "Get on top of it!" She called to her cousin.
"I'm trying!" Peach snapped back.
Sonic was beginning to panic. "Well, one thing's for sure," He quipped, "we're gonna be a whole lot thinner!"
Down, down, down...12 stories flashed by at alarming speed. Kirby and Bowser crashed through the bottom floor into the basement with the sickening crack of broken stone. They both landed on top of a massive pile of garbage, effectively flattening it. As they hit the floor of the basement, a small explosion engulfed them both. Kirby leaped clear, flipped through the air, and landed lightly on his feet, slightly breathless. The entire process had taken less than three seconds.
Somehow, Bowser's thick skull survived the collision, and the mysterious explosion. The impact had created a small crater in the floor and had scattered garbage everywhere. He stood on his head at the crater's center for a couple seconds, his eyes pointing in two different directions, and his tongue hanging out of one side of his mouth. Then he fell onto his back, knocked senseless.
Kirby stood where he had landed, panting heavily from expending so much energy on that jump. "OKAY!" He screamed, still furious. "WHO'S NEXT?! HUH?!? JUST SAY IT, I DARE YA!!"
Sonic, Peach, and Daisy blinked at them both, looked at each other, then shrugged and went back to escaping.
Up above, Mario, Kapi, Mega Man, and Kamek were all staring openmouthed at the holes Kirby and Bowser had made in the floor and ceiling. Mario slowly approached the hole in the floor and peeked over its edge. What he saw was a very bruised Bowser lying spread-eagled on the basement floor, unconscious and surrounded by piles and piles of unrecognizable trash. Slightly relieved, he leaped down.
As soon as Peach saw Mario land she let out a cry of surprise and tackled him, hugging him tightly around the waist. "Mario! Get us out of here!!" She screamed, eyes squeezed tight in fear. The strong smell of sewage emanating from her ruined dress nearly knocked Mario over, and he held his nose, taking deep breaths through his mouth.
Daisy took more time to go greet Mario, greeting him in a more dignified manner. Sonic stood still, feeling as if he'd missed something.
"Boy, am I glad to see you." Daisy commented as she approached. "What happened to your face?"
Mario's hand strayed to the three diagonal cuts he now sported. He quickly dropped it again, but not before noticing that its white fabric was stained with blood. "It's nothing." He replied shortly. He looked around the room. "Where are we, and how did you get here?" He asked, changing the subject.
"It would take too long to explain how, but we're stuck in a trash compactor. Can you get us out?"
Mario's eyes bulged in surprise. "WHAT?!" He looked around and noticed the walls had moved a couple feet inward during the few seconds they'd been talking. "Eep." Without another word he leaped straight up, sailing through the hole in the ceiling. Peach, who was still holding onto him, got towed up with him.
Mario landed on the ground of the first floor. "Peach, you can let go now." He informed the princess who still had a death grip on him. Peach opened her eyes, looked around, and quickly let go of Mario, her cheeks crimson. Mario didn't notice, since he was going back through the hole to retrieve Daisy.
When he stuck his head in the hole a third time and offered to help Sonic, the hedgehog merely waved it aside. "I can get out myself. Watch." He jumped, revved up, and began running up one of the walls, using inertia to overcome gravity. When he reached the ceiling he raced along it until he reached the hole and zoomed up through it.
Mario blinked at this performance. "Oh. Okay."
Kirby then appeared, floating out of the hole and waving his arms up and down as if he were flapping. So THAT'S how he flies, Mario realized.
Sonic stopped himself by leaning back and leaving twin skid-marks in the floor. Kirby landed and exhaled a giant breath of air. Introductions were made. Sonic felt slightly disappointed that he apparently hadn't impressed Mario with his speed. Truth was, Mario was very impressed, but so much had happened to him recently that it seemed like nothing new.
Sonic grew extremely alarmed when he was introduced to Mega Man. He leaped away as if burned, and cried, "You're a robot!"
Mega Man looked at him oddly. "Yeah, that's true." He admitted with a shrug. "So what?"
"Stay AWAY from me!" Sonic yelled, quickly backpedaling away until his back hit a wall. "I know all about your kind!"
Mega Man exchanged a slow look with the others, wondering what was wrong with this newcomer. "Hey, look, I'm not going to hurt you--" Mega Man began cautiously. Unfortunately, he was talking to thin air. Sonic had sped away at his trademark speeds a moment earlier. "-great." He finished with a sigh.
Mario looked around and noticed some people missing. "Where's Kamek and Kapi?"
A cry came up from below, answering part of his question. "KING BOWSER! WAKE UP! PLEASE!!"
Mario looked in the hole. The trash compactor had moved quite a ways inward. Only about five yards or so now separated the two walls from each other. On top of the piles of trash that had been pushed into one big pile by the walls, Kapi kneeled, trying to revive Bowser. It was obvious she wouldn't be leaving until the Koopa King did so.
Mario debated whether he should help them. On the one hand, the person lying unconscious down there was his worst enemy. It was the person who continually kidnapped Peach and wrecked Castle Toadstool. It was the person who wanted to steal away Peach's heart and marry her.
On the other hand, one of his friends was also down there.
Mario sighed. "I'm gonna regret this." He muttered. He leaped down into the hole.
In the several thousand years that the Lost Woods have existed, it has been prone to some pretty strange events and things. It housed the Forest Temple, a sacred holy place to the Kokiri. It contained a hedge maze that led to the Sacred Forest Meadow. Deep within its depths was an as-of-yet undiscovered portal to an alternate dimension called Termina. It was home to Skull Kids and Deku scrubs, not to mention Wolfos and an array of other creatures.
But never had it experienced anything like this.
Luigi leaped like an acrobat, ducking and dodging frantically. His feet seemed to have springs on their soles; as soon as he hit the ground, he had to leap upward again to avoid an arrow or spear that had been thrown his way. Shells flew left and right as he began pouncing on the Koopas. Link used more conventional methods, getting out his slingshot and nailing the turtles between the eyes with rocks and other objects. He ducked behind a rock outcropping to avoid a hail of arrows, then quickly stood up and lobbed a few more projectiles before ducking back down to avoid the return volley. Suddenly one of the Koopa shells launched by Luigi skidded his way and stopped, practically next to him. It gave Link an idea.
Link loaded the shell into his slingshot. It just barely fit. He pulled the band back, took aim, and released!
KA-POW! BAM! SMACK! WHAM! CRASH! WHACK! The shell felled enemies like bowling pins, carving a straight path through the Koopa ranks. Link hooked his slingshot back to his belt and got out his sword and shield. Time for a little melee action.
He leaped away from his hiding place and immediately ducked and rolled, preventing himself from getting hit by arrows. He jumped to his feet and surged forward, holding his shield in front of him for protection as weapons bounced off it with loud reports. He jumped back as a Koopa brought a sharp spear-end swishing through the air where he had been moments before. He blocked another thrust from his left and went into a series of sword slashes that forced the Koopas to retreat or get sliced. They retreated.
Luigi landed next to Link, the thrill of battle pumping in his veins. It seemed quite unlike him to get this worked up about a fight; normally he'd be kinda afraid. He shrugged it off and asked Link how well he was faring.
"Pretty good, considering." He grunted while sidestepping a thrown spear. Luigi nodded and jumped away. Suddenly one of the braver Koopas attacked from behind and knocked Link's sword out of his reach. "Hey!" Link yelled in outrage. He leaped aside to avoid another attack and wrenched his attacker's spear away. "Give me that!"
The turtle was thrown off-balance by the action and fell backwards onto his shell. There it waved its arms and legs frantically, unable to right itself and only succeeding in rocking back and forth. Link snickered at the hapless Koopa's predicament and left it there, rejoining the battle.
Link backflipped over a low swipe and brought his spear down in a terrific blow that cracked one of the Koopa's shells. He used his spear's blunt end to trip up another enemy and ducked as an archer shot more arrows at him. Luigi landed next to him again. "Yahoo!" He cheered, slightly loopy from all his jumping.
Link blinked and tossed his spear over to Luigi. "Could you hold that for me, please?"
Luigi shrugged. "Sure, I-eep!" Three arrows on a collision course with Luigi's head embedded themselves in the wooden shaft.
Link grabbed the spear back. "Thanks." He resumed fighting, knocking out the archer that had thrown the projectiles. Luigi, feeling rather shaken, jumped skyward again. The ground seemed a bit too dangerous for the moment.
"HA! Take that!" Link cried, blocking and parrying like crazy. He noticed the Koopas beginning to retreat. He chased after them, swinging his spear at their heels while gleefully throwing taunts at them, giving them a good reason to run. The thrill of the battle was almost intoxicating him, and he was loving every moment of it.
Finally the last of the turtles disappeared into an orange portal. Link shook his spear triumphantly at them. "AND STAY AWAY!" He yelled after them. He walked back through the empty camp to retrieve his sword. He almost threw his spear away, then changed his mind. The thing proved useful during the battle. Who knows, he might need it later.
He met back up with Luigi at the middle of the formerly-occupied camp. "You're hurt." Link remarked with concern, pointing at Luigi's side. The plumber looked down and saw the long slash in his overalls with the thin cut on his skin below. The wound wasn't big, but it was deep. Only a thin trickle of blood had begun to leak out of it.
"Yeah, I got it when some of the Koopas teamed up on me. Don't worry, it doesn't hurt that much." Luigi reassured him.
"Still, we should dress it anyway. It might get infected." Link replied. He began to walk away. "Come here." Link led Luigi over to the edge of the woods and plucked a few leaves off of the trees. He pasted the leaves to the cut, making Luigi wince a tiny bit at the pain. Then Link used a small bit of rope inside one of the tents to tie the leaves around Luigi's waist, securing them. "The leaves from this plant produce a special extract that's useful in healing wounds." He explained while he worked. "Hylians often use them in their healing potions."
"Great." Luigi replied unenthusiastically. He waited patiently while Link secured the rope, then moved around to test its flexibility. The rope didn't seem like it would get in his way. "Thanks."
"Welcome. Now, do you want to go explore that portal, or just wait here all day?"
Luigi glanced around them. "What portal? I don't--"
"I saw it when I chased the Koopas away." Link continued with exaggerated patience. "It's at the other end of the camp. See?" He pointed.
Luigi craned his neck to look, and could just barely make out the orange glow of the portal through several obstructing trees. "Yeah, I see it. You want to explore it." It was a statement, not a question.
Link's eyes sparkled with a yearning for adventure. "You betcha. Come on!" He grabbed Luigi's hand and dragged him through the camp at a run. When they reached the portal Luigi finally regained his feet and jerked his hand out of Link's grip. "Stop that. I can walk myself."
Link shrugged. "Sorry." They stepped through the portal at the same time, side-by-side. The world turned orange...then white...before abruptly fading to black.
"Hey, don't leave me like this!" The trapped Koopa yelled. "Wait! Get back here!!"
Unknown time passed. Luigi slowly emerged to consciousness, his senses gradually returning to him. He was lying on something hard and cold. He could see through his eyelids flickers of light coming from somewhere. The air smelled musty and slightly damp. He shivered involuntarily at the chilly air that whipped at his back. Slowly he opened his eyes.
The first thing he noticed was the stone. Stone walls, stone floor, stone ceiling high overhead. Torches flickered above, wedged securely into stone holders carved out of the walls. The stone continued onward until it left the torches' range of light and faded into darkness. Then Luigi recognized it.
The cut of the stone blocks was perfectly cubical. The stones were a dull ashey gray, reflecting only a little of the reddish torchlight. Everything was silent. Water dripped somewhere in the distance. Luigi's own breathing suddenly seemed unnaturally loud in the quiet stillness. He looked around some more.
To his right lay Link, lying on his stomach like Luigi was. He, too, was out of it. He was completely still, not moving a muscle, silent as a tomb. Had Luigi not known better, he would have suspected his companion was dead.
Luigi sat up and began to move over to his friend, but was struck by a sudden dizzy spell and had to sink back to his knees. As soon as the world stopped spinning, he tried again. This time he was able to crawl over without any ill effects. He shook Link's shoulder gently. "Link. Hey, Link, wake up."
Link stirred and groaned. "Not now, Malon. Lemme sleep a little more....." He mumbled. Luigi snickered. The noise woke Link up completely, and his eyes blinked open. He sat up and glanced around them. "Where are we?"
"Bowser's castle." Luigi replied while helping the Hylian to his feet. "We're back in my world now."
"We are?" Link replied faintly while holding his head to ease the pounding headache he suddenly had. After a couple moments the pain faded, and he was able to look around them again. "Bowser isn't much of an interior decorator, is he?"
"You don't know the half of it." Luigi grinned. The two stood there for a couple moments longer. "I don't remember this part of the castle at all." Luigi finally remarked.
"You mean we're lost?"
Luigi gave a small shrug. "Looks like it. Might as well start walking and see where we wind up." Luigi moved up ahead and vanished into the darkness. Link followed close behind.
Neither of them knew what hit them. A whoosh of air hit their faces, and suddenly a horrendously loud noise stabbed directly into their brains. Their heads felt like they had exploded, chimes and bells rang in their ears, stars and lights flashed before their vision, and they fell limply to the ground writhing in pain.
It took several minutes for the pounding in Luigi's head to calm down, and even longer for his ears to stop ringing. When he was finally able to lift his head without feeling sick he stood shakily to his feet and walked over to Link.
Link was gasping for breath after breath, grateful to still be alive. Luigi pulled him to his feet and he swayed unsteadily, holding on to Luigi's shoulder for balance. "What in the name of Din was that?" Link gasped.
"I don't know. Whatever it was, it was loud." Luigi replied. He could hear something echoing further down the hallway, and shivered despite the fact that the area was fairly warm. "Let's keep going."
Link nodded and continued walking next to Luigi. Neither said anything for a good while after that, except to argue over which way to go at intersections. Luigi usually won these small arguments because he had been in the castle before. At one point Luigi noticed there were no torches put up along the walls in the hallway they were walking down. They stopped and backtracked to the last torch they had passed, and Luigi grabbed it out of its holder. There was another torch placed on the opposite wall, and Link took that one.
Now armed with light, the companions continued their cautious journey.
Sonic fled at nearly the speed of sound. That robot had scared him, mainly because of how lifelike it seemed. If it hadn't been for the robot's odd armor, he would never have guessed it wasn't organic. He didn't want to have anything to do with robots. They were the main weapons his archnemesis used against him, and he'd learned not to trust any of them.
He could feel the sound barrier straining against him, like an invisible wall, tugging at his arms and legs. He pushed himself to go faster, and the barrier broke with a thunderous sonic boom.
He saw two blurs of green color go by at high speed, but didn't stop to look at them. He just kept running.
"King Bowser! Please get up!"
Kapi was close to tears. Her king was unconscious and in the worst possible location to be. The walls were unceasingly closing inward on them, like the jaws of death come to take their victim. She stomped and yelled, shook Bowser by the shoulders and even tried slapping him across the face, but nothing could wake him. Now she was sitting next to him blinking away the tears that wanted to flow from her eyes, pleading futilely for her king to revive before he was killed.
Mario landed next to Bowser and took in the scene at once. Kapi's eyes widened and she practically leapt with joy. "Mario! You've come to help! Oh, thank you!"
"Well, I, um..." Mario scratched the back of his neck uneasily.
"Mario, what are you DOING?!" Peach screeched from above. "You'll get killed! Get back up here RIGHT NOW!"
"Sorry Princess, I'm helping out a friend!" Mario replied. As an afterthought, he added, "And it isn't Bowser!" Kapi blinked in confusion.
"Hey, Mario, need any help?" It was Mega Man's voice. Mario looked up and saw the big blue eyes of his robot companion staring back questionably.
Mario waved the offer aside. "Nah. I can get this guy out of here easy, But you might want to back away from the hole a bit before I start." Mega Man's face nodded and disappeared from view. "That includes you, too." Mario added to Kapi. The female Koopa obediently stepped back a couple meters, wringing her hands anxiously.
Mario rubbed his hands together and reached underneath Bowser. He groped around for a bit, being careful not to prick himself on Bowser's spike- studded shell. Finally he found what he was looking for; the tail. He grabbed it in both hands. Grinning wickedly, Mario began to swing Bowser around in a circle. When he had enough speed, he tilted the angle of the swing so that it was almost vertical. Then he released Bowser when he was pointed upwards towards the hole with a gleeful cheer of, "Yah-hoo!"
Bowser went sailing up...up...up...
...and missed the hole entirely, smacking into the still-intact part of the ceiling right next to it. The Koopa King fell back to the floor, now more bruised than ever.
There was absolute silence for two seconds.
"Um...oops." Mario mumbled sheepishly. He quickly glanced in Kapi's direction to see her giving him a look which made him wish HE were unconscious instead of Bowser. Indeed, Kapi was looking as if she would punch him out right there and do him the favor . "Mario.....you.....did.....that.....on.....purpose....." She clenched her teeth and spat out each word separately.
Mario quickly began backing away from the seething Koopa, raising up his hands in a defensive posture. "Kapi, I didn't mean to! It was an accident! Honest!"
Kapi didn't seem remotely convinced. However, before a major argument (or perhaps a fight) could start, something happened which made the two of them completely forget what had just occurred.
The low, monotonous rumbling that had accompanied everything up until now cut out. On either side, the rusted metal walls came to a halt with a protesting screech.
"Huh?" Mario grunted.
From the previously-moving walls came a crackling sound, then a familiar voice saying, "Guys? Are you alright? Hello?"
Mario located the source of the noise as a speaker built into the wall up near the ceiling. "Kamek? Is that you?"
"Yes." The voice replied. "I'm in the control room for the garbage compactor. Sorry I took so long, but the door was locked and I couldn't find the key. Is King Bowser all right?"
Mario looked at the battered Koopa who was once again lying on the floor. "Um, well.....in a manner of speaking....."
"Good. You guys need to hurry and get him out of there; I managed to delay the compactor, but I can't stop it. The system is going to automatically start up again in a few minutes. Leave, quickly!"
Mario grimaced and turned back to face Kapi and Bowser. "Right."
The ceiling creaked. Nobody noticed it.
"How the heck are we gonna get Bowser out of there?" Mega Man wondered. An idea suddenly occurred to the robot. "Hang on...Kirby, could you try that 'Ninja Drop' trick you used on him earlier to jump out of there?"
Kirby frowned. "I am NOT going to help HIM! He called me a.....a.....argh, never mind! Besides, even if I did try that, we'd just go through the ceiling of this floor again. And I doubt he'd survive another attack like the last one."
"Well, he's way too heavy for me to haul up by jumping, and my arms are too tired to try another throw." Mario replied. Something within the walls sqeaked and groaned, reminding him that they were running out of time. "Kamek, if you can still hear us, we could use some help here!!"
"There's nothing I can do!" Kamek wailed, sounding a lot less calm than before. "The system's just locked me out! It's overridden all my commands!"
"Then use your magic!"
"I can't use my full power without my old broomstick! It contained a magic amplifier that allowed me to perform my spells!"
"Then just send a Bomb-omb to bust us out!" Mario argued, frustrated.
"Are you insane??" Kamek's voice was shrill with panic. "An explosion like that could destroy the entire castle!"
"ARRGH! Forget it, we'll improvise! Mega Man, I need you down here!"
The blue robot landed next to Mario with a clang. "What's up?"
"How hot do you suppose those bullet-things from your gun are?"
"What, you mean the plasma from my Mega-Buster? Oh, around several hundred degrees, I'd estimate. Why?"
"Good. We can use them."
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Author/Narrator: Ooh, a cliffhanger! I'm just horrible to you guys, aren't I? (Dramatic voice) What's Mario's plan gonna be? Where's Sonic going? How do Luigi and Link fit into this, and why can't I find the ham sandwitch I just made? Tune in to your local computer to find out, on the next chapter of The Crossover Saga!
Man, I've gotta get some more caffeine. Where's my Vanilla Coke when I need it.....?
By Stoney (stoney107@yahoo.com)
Author/Narrator: At last! In light of my birthday coming on August 5th (Sweet Sixteen! Yeah!) I have decided to grace you all with a new portion of this story. It's been awhile in coming, but here it is! Chapter 10 of The Crossover Saga! Yahoo! Caffeine is good, yes it is!
Chapter 10 Ground Zero
Darkness.
Above, a jagged bolt of light flashed, illuminating the dark gray clouds for a brief millisecond before vanishing. Booms rippled across the sky shortly afterward.
Another bolt appeared. The light lashed out at a large edifice on the ground, revealing stone architecture and castle turrets in the brief moment of visibility.
The light disappeared. Rumbles shook the heavens.
Darkness returned.
Now the lightning came in quick succession, allowing one to see more detail in the shape that blocked out the sky with its bulk. It sat upon a hill, steep in sides and bare of grass, for no sunlight could pierce the thick clouds above to let life grow there. At the top of the mound of earth sat the structure, surrounded by dark, unhealthy-looking liquid, and bridged by a massive wooden drawbridge. A steel porticullis had been lowered in front of the enormous door, which was closed and locked securely. Tiny barred windows peeked out of the stone like prairie dogs from their holes, their meager internal light doing little to help brighten the outside. Towers of stone and mortar jutted up from the building's top, their roofs pointed and sharp. The entire building squatted upon the countryside like an immense cancerous growth, flanked by distant mountains and basking in the darkness.
The squadron of SWATbots gazed at it impassively. The robot at the front of the group raised its arm to its voice speaker and activated a small radio. "Dr. Robotnik, SWATleader reporting in. We have located a new Zone portal."
Behind the group of robots, a glowing red portal tinted everything with a blood-red hue. Its swirling light reflected dimly off the steel chrome of the SWATbots' bodies. Another voice crackled through the transmitter on the leader's wrist. "Have you entered the portal yet?"
"Yes, sir." Was the emotionless reply. "The portal was guarded by several reptilic creatures carrying primitive weapons, but they have been dealt with." The robot didn't mention that its squadron had lost several robots to the guards, as well. "The area beyond the portal appears to be in the midst of a lightning storm. No rain is present. Ahead of us is what appears to be a replica of a medieval castle."
"Activate the cameras." Robotnik ordered. The digital "eyes" of the robots all lit up as what they were seeing was sent back to their master.
Robotnik studied the images closely on several of his monitors. They were distorted and lined with static due to interferance from the Zone, but he was still able to just barely make out some sort of building on top of a hill. Very interesting. He did not believe this Zone had been found before. This must be where Mecha had gone, apparently. But why hadn't the robot reported in to him?
"SWATleader, continue your search for Metal Sonic in the new Zone. I want reports on your progress every half hour. If Mecha is found, bring him back to base for repairs. Robotnik out."
"Affirmative. SWATleader out." The robot clicked off the radio, then turned to the other robots and said only two words; "Let's go." The group obediently marched in military formation toward the looming building ahead, until the reflections of the portal's light off their steel armor vanished into the darkness.
More lightning crackled overhead, framing the lone castle's contorted silhouette against the dark gray sky. Few wildlife survived in the unwelcome area, but some still managed to nonetheless. Long ago had they grown used to the bellowing rumbles from the heavens, to the point where they barely heard them anymore. They had not heard any other sound for years, until today.
"PLUMBER!!!!"
The sound could best be compared to that of a volcanic eruption, or an atomic bomb explosion. It shook the foundations upon which the stone-and- mortar building stood, causing avalanches of rocks and dirt to fall from the mountains several miles away. The storm rumbled in response.
Then at last the echoes of the scream died away, leaving behind only the dark semi-silence that had always surrounded Koopa Castle.
At ground zero inside the castle's stone walls, Bowser stood livid. His face had turned a deep purple, eyes bulging out of their sockets. Tiny flames shot out of his nostrils with each breath. His teeth and claws were clenched so tight that Kamek feared they might break. His entire body shook with fury. He was the one who had just screamed.
Bowser attempted to say something else, but his rage had rendered him incapable of coherent speech. He simply roared again, the sound temporarily deafening all present. At the opposite end of the castle, people winced at the noise. It sounded like several Tyrannosaurus Rexes bellowing at once.
Bowser might not have taken this new development so badly, if he hadn't just been informed by Kamek that the princesses weren't in their chambers when the Magikoopa had gone to check up on them. At first the Koopa King suspected they had merely gone on a walk through the castle or something (he didn't remember that he had locked their doors), But now Mario was here, and that almost always certainly meant he was breaking them out.
With amazing speed for someone so large, Bowser stomped right up in front of Mario and grabbed him around the neck with both claws. Mario gasped and choked as Bowser slowly began to squeeze, cutting off his oxygen supply. Bowser leaned in until his face was mere inches away from Mario's. The plumber kicked his feet and flailed his fists wildly in an attempt to hit the Koopa King; unfortunately, Bowser held him out away from his body and Mario couldn't reach him. His struggles only served to infuriate Bowser more.
"WHERE IS SHE, MARIO?!? WHERE HAVE YOU TAKEN HER?? ANSWER ME!!" He bellowed.
Mario winced at the noise and attempted to reply, but could only choke.
"WHAT WAS THAT?!" Bowser roared again, shaking Mario violently.
Kamek floated up to Bowser's ear-equivalent and quietly whispered. "My lord, perhaps you should put him down. He probably can't speak when you hold him like that."
Bowser growled loudly and almost didn't take the advice. There was something oddly satisfying about holding the one person who'd caused him so much trouble in such a helpless position. But his love for Peach overrode any thoughts of revenge. He released Mario.
Mario landed on the floor and immediately dropped to his knees, gasping and coughing horribly while massaging his sore neck. He felt very dizzy and nauseous, and there was a funny ringing noise in his ears.
Bowser leaned down and looked Mario square in the eye, his seemingly-calm tone masking the rage underneath. "I will ask you only one more time, plumber, and then I will get violent. WHERE. IS. PEACH."
"I...(cough)..."
"Take your time." Bowser suggested sarcastically.
"...I...don't know..."
Bowser slapped him across the face, leaving three long claw-marks in his cheek. The force of the blow threw Mario onto his back, with Bowser leaning over him.
"Wrong answer." The Koopa King growled. "You will tell me what you have done with her NOW, or I swear right now on the grave of the first Koopa King that I will rip you apart limb from limb in front of your friends."
Mario's mind raced furiously. He could feel the blood from his three new wounds seeping down his face. How was he going to get out of this one?
"Hey!" A shout came from Bowser's right. "Leave him alone!"
"Yeah," another voice joined the first, "what Mega said! SUPLEX!"
A flash of light made Bowser blink and squint. He looked in the direction of the disturbance to find Mega Man leveling an arm cannon in his direction and Kirby standing defiantly with a blue bandanna tied around his forehead. Bowser ignored the robot, but blinked in surprise at the other odd creature. He quickly got over it, though.
"Stay out of this, Powderpuff!" He snarled. It was the wrong thing to say.
Kirby's eye twitched. His skin turned deep red. He began to swell up like a balloon in rage.
"Uh-oh..." Mega Man muttered, slowly backing away from the seething Dreamlander.
"NOBODY...CALLS...ME...POWDERPUFF!!!" Kirby screamed. "NINJA DROP!"
With speed greater even than what Bowser had exhibited, Kirby rushed forward, grabbed Bowser around the waist, and jumped as hard as he could. To the amazement of all present, Kirby's momentum was strong enough to propel him and Bowser off the floor and through the ceiling. Unfortunately for the Koopa King, they were on the castle's bottom floor. Since he was taller than Kirby, his head took the brunt of the crash.and the one after that.and the one after that.
By the time Kirby's upward momentum ran out, he and Bowser had exited the castle through the roof, and the latter was in quite a lot of pain. Unfortunately, he was still conscious for what happened next. With expert precision, Kirby suddenly reversed directions as gravity's invisible hand began to pull on them. Bowser roared and flailed around as they both began to free-fall.
Sonic looked around frantically for the entrance they'd arrived through. Unfortunately, it had been covered up by the trash being moved inward by the compactor. "Try to brace the walls with something!" He yelled, grabbing the pipe he'd used as a brake earlier and jerking it out of the pile. He put it up against the walls, which promptly began bending it in half.
"No good!" Daisy cried. She and Peach were scrambling up the trash piles. "Get on top of it!" She called to her cousin.
"I'm trying!" Peach snapped back.
Sonic was beginning to panic. "Well, one thing's for sure," He quipped, "we're gonna be a whole lot thinner!"
Down, down, down...12 stories flashed by at alarming speed. Kirby and Bowser crashed through the bottom floor into the basement with the sickening crack of broken stone. They both landed on top of a massive pile of garbage, effectively flattening it. As they hit the floor of the basement, a small explosion engulfed them both. Kirby leaped clear, flipped through the air, and landed lightly on his feet, slightly breathless. The entire process had taken less than three seconds.
Somehow, Bowser's thick skull survived the collision, and the mysterious explosion. The impact had created a small crater in the floor and had scattered garbage everywhere. He stood on his head at the crater's center for a couple seconds, his eyes pointing in two different directions, and his tongue hanging out of one side of his mouth. Then he fell onto his back, knocked senseless.
Kirby stood where he had landed, panting heavily from expending so much energy on that jump. "OKAY!" He screamed, still furious. "WHO'S NEXT?! HUH?!? JUST SAY IT, I DARE YA!!"
Sonic, Peach, and Daisy blinked at them both, looked at each other, then shrugged and went back to escaping.
Up above, Mario, Kapi, Mega Man, and Kamek were all staring openmouthed at the holes Kirby and Bowser had made in the floor and ceiling. Mario slowly approached the hole in the floor and peeked over its edge. What he saw was a very bruised Bowser lying spread-eagled on the basement floor, unconscious and surrounded by piles and piles of unrecognizable trash. Slightly relieved, he leaped down.
As soon as Peach saw Mario land she let out a cry of surprise and tackled him, hugging him tightly around the waist. "Mario! Get us out of here!!" She screamed, eyes squeezed tight in fear. The strong smell of sewage emanating from her ruined dress nearly knocked Mario over, and he held his nose, taking deep breaths through his mouth.
Daisy took more time to go greet Mario, greeting him in a more dignified manner. Sonic stood still, feeling as if he'd missed something.
"Boy, am I glad to see you." Daisy commented as she approached. "What happened to your face?"
Mario's hand strayed to the three diagonal cuts he now sported. He quickly dropped it again, but not before noticing that its white fabric was stained with blood. "It's nothing." He replied shortly. He looked around the room. "Where are we, and how did you get here?" He asked, changing the subject.
"It would take too long to explain how, but we're stuck in a trash compactor. Can you get us out?"
Mario's eyes bulged in surprise. "WHAT?!" He looked around and noticed the walls had moved a couple feet inward during the few seconds they'd been talking. "Eep." Without another word he leaped straight up, sailing through the hole in the ceiling. Peach, who was still holding onto him, got towed up with him.
Mario landed on the ground of the first floor. "Peach, you can let go now." He informed the princess who still had a death grip on him. Peach opened her eyes, looked around, and quickly let go of Mario, her cheeks crimson. Mario didn't notice, since he was going back through the hole to retrieve Daisy.
When he stuck his head in the hole a third time and offered to help Sonic, the hedgehog merely waved it aside. "I can get out myself. Watch." He jumped, revved up, and began running up one of the walls, using inertia to overcome gravity. When he reached the ceiling he raced along it until he reached the hole and zoomed up through it.
Mario blinked at this performance. "Oh. Okay."
Kirby then appeared, floating out of the hole and waving his arms up and down as if he were flapping. So THAT'S how he flies, Mario realized.
Sonic stopped himself by leaning back and leaving twin skid-marks in the floor. Kirby landed and exhaled a giant breath of air. Introductions were made. Sonic felt slightly disappointed that he apparently hadn't impressed Mario with his speed. Truth was, Mario was very impressed, but so much had happened to him recently that it seemed like nothing new.
Sonic grew extremely alarmed when he was introduced to Mega Man. He leaped away as if burned, and cried, "You're a robot!"
Mega Man looked at him oddly. "Yeah, that's true." He admitted with a shrug. "So what?"
"Stay AWAY from me!" Sonic yelled, quickly backpedaling away until his back hit a wall. "I know all about your kind!"
Mega Man exchanged a slow look with the others, wondering what was wrong with this newcomer. "Hey, look, I'm not going to hurt you--" Mega Man began cautiously. Unfortunately, he was talking to thin air. Sonic had sped away at his trademark speeds a moment earlier. "-great." He finished with a sigh.
Mario looked around and noticed some people missing. "Where's Kamek and Kapi?"
A cry came up from below, answering part of his question. "KING BOWSER! WAKE UP! PLEASE!!"
Mario looked in the hole. The trash compactor had moved quite a ways inward. Only about five yards or so now separated the two walls from each other. On top of the piles of trash that had been pushed into one big pile by the walls, Kapi kneeled, trying to revive Bowser. It was obvious she wouldn't be leaving until the Koopa King did so.
Mario debated whether he should help them. On the one hand, the person lying unconscious down there was his worst enemy. It was the person who continually kidnapped Peach and wrecked Castle Toadstool. It was the person who wanted to steal away Peach's heart and marry her.
On the other hand, one of his friends was also down there.
Mario sighed. "I'm gonna regret this." He muttered. He leaped down into the hole.
In the several thousand years that the Lost Woods have existed, it has been prone to some pretty strange events and things. It housed the Forest Temple, a sacred holy place to the Kokiri. It contained a hedge maze that led to the Sacred Forest Meadow. Deep within its depths was an as-of-yet undiscovered portal to an alternate dimension called Termina. It was home to Skull Kids and Deku scrubs, not to mention Wolfos and an array of other creatures.
But never had it experienced anything like this.
Luigi leaped like an acrobat, ducking and dodging frantically. His feet seemed to have springs on their soles; as soon as he hit the ground, he had to leap upward again to avoid an arrow or spear that had been thrown his way. Shells flew left and right as he began pouncing on the Koopas. Link used more conventional methods, getting out his slingshot and nailing the turtles between the eyes with rocks and other objects. He ducked behind a rock outcropping to avoid a hail of arrows, then quickly stood up and lobbed a few more projectiles before ducking back down to avoid the return volley. Suddenly one of the Koopa shells launched by Luigi skidded his way and stopped, practically next to him. It gave Link an idea.
Link loaded the shell into his slingshot. It just barely fit. He pulled the band back, took aim, and released!
KA-POW! BAM! SMACK! WHAM! CRASH! WHACK! The shell felled enemies like bowling pins, carving a straight path through the Koopa ranks. Link hooked his slingshot back to his belt and got out his sword and shield. Time for a little melee action.
He leaped away from his hiding place and immediately ducked and rolled, preventing himself from getting hit by arrows. He jumped to his feet and surged forward, holding his shield in front of him for protection as weapons bounced off it with loud reports. He jumped back as a Koopa brought a sharp spear-end swishing through the air where he had been moments before. He blocked another thrust from his left and went into a series of sword slashes that forced the Koopas to retreat or get sliced. They retreated.
Luigi landed next to Link, the thrill of battle pumping in his veins. It seemed quite unlike him to get this worked up about a fight; normally he'd be kinda afraid. He shrugged it off and asked Link how well he was faring.
"Pretty good, considering." He grunted while sidestepping a thrown spear. Luigi nodded and jumped away. Suddenly one of the braver Koopas attacked from behind and knocked Link's sword out of his reach. "Hey!" Link yelled in outrage. He leaped aside to avoid another attack and wrenched his attacker's spear away. "Give me that!"
The turtle was thrown off-balance by the action and fell backwards onto his shell. There it waved its arms and legs frantically, unable to right itself and only succeeding in rocking back and forth. Link snickered at the hapless Koopa's predicament and left it there, rejoining the battle.
Link backflipped over a low swipe and brought his spear down in a terrific blow that cracked one of the Koopa's shells. He used his spear's blunt end to trip up another enemy and ducked as an archer shot more arrows at him. Luigi landed next to him again. "Yahoo!" He cheered, slightly loopy from all his jumping.
Link blinked and tossed his spear over to Luigi. "Could you hold that for me, please?"
Luigi shrugged. "Sure, I-eep!" Three arrows on a collision course with Luigi's head embedded themselves in the wooden shaft.
Link grabbed the spear back. "Thanks." He resumed fighting, knocking out the archer that had thrown the projectiles. Luigi, feeling rather shaken, jumped skyward again. The ground seemed a bit too dangerous for the moment.
"HA! Take that!" Link cried, blocking and parrying like crazy. He noticed the Koopas beginning to retreat. He chased after them, swinging his spear at their heels while gleefully throwing taunts at them, giving them a good reason to run. The thrill of the battle was almost intoxicating him, and he was loving every moment of it.
Finally the last of the turtles disappeared into an orange portal. Link shook his spear triumphantly at them. "AND STAY AWAY!" He yelled after them. He walked back through the empty camp to retrieve his sword. He almost threw his spear away, then changed his mind. The thing proved useful during the battle. Who knows, he might need it later.
He met back up with Luigi at the middle of the formerly-occupied camp. "You're hurt." Link remarked with concern, pointing at Luigi's side. The plumber looked down and saw the long slash in his overalls with the thin cut on his skin below. The wound wasn't big, but it was deep. Only a thin trickle of blood had begun to leak out of it.
"Yeah, I got it when some of the Koopas teamed up on me. Don't worry, it doesn't hurt that much." Luigi reassured him.
"Still, we should dress it anyway. It might get infected." Link replied. He began to walk away. "Come here." Link led Luigi over to the edge of the woods and plucked a few leaves off of the trees. He pasted the leaves to the cut, making Luigi wince a tiny bit at the pain. Then Link used a small bit of rope inside one of the tents to tie the leaves around Luigi's waist, securing them. "The leaves from this plant produce a special extract that's useful in healing wounds." He explained while he worked. "Hylians often use them in their healing potions."
"Great." Luigi replied unenthusiastically. He waited patiently while Link secured the rope, then moved around to test its flexibility. The rope didn't seem like it would get in his way. "Thanks."
"Welcome. Now, do you want to go explore that portal, or just wait here all day?"
Luigi glanced around them. "What portal? I don't--"
"I saw it when I chased the Koopas away." Link continued with exaggerated patience. "It's at the other end of the camp. See?" He pointed.
Luigi craned his neck to look, and could just barely make out the orange glow of the portal through several obstructing trees. "Yeah, I see it. You want to explore it." It was a statement, not a question.
Link's eyes sparkled with a yearning for adventure. "You betcha. Come on!" He grabbed Luigi's hand and dragged him through the camp at a run. When they reached the portal Luigi finally regained his feet and jerked his hand out of Link's grip. "Stop that. I can walk myself."
Link shrugged. "Sorry." They stepped through the portal at the same time, side-by-side. The world turned orange...then white...before abruptly fading to black.
"Hey, don't leave me like this!" The trapped Koopa yelled. "Wait! Get back here!!"
Unknown time passed. Luigi slowly emerged to consciousness, his senses gradually returning to him. He was lying on something hard and cold. He could see through his eyelids flickers of light coming from somewhere. The air smelled musty and slightly damp. He shivered involuntarily at the chilly air that whipped at his back. Slowly he opened his eyes.
The first thing he noticed was the stone. Stone walls, stone floor, stone ceiling high overhead. Torches flickered above, wedged securely into stone holders carved out of the walls. The stone continued onward until it left the torches' range of light and faded into darkness. Then Luigi recognized it.
The cut of the stone blocks was perfectly cubical. The stones were a dull ashey gray, reflecting only a little of the reddish torchlight. Everything was silent. Water dripped somewhere in the distance. Luigi's own breathing suddenly seemed unnaturally loud in the quiet stillness. He looked around some more.
To his right lay Link, lying on his stomach like Luigi was. He, too, was out of it. He was completely still, not moving a muscle, silent as a tomb. Had Luigi not known better, he would have suspected his companion was dead.
Luigi sat up and began to move over to his friend, but was struck by a sudden dizzy spell and had to sink back to his knees. As soon as the world stopped spinning, he tried again. This time he was able to crawl over without any ill effects. He shook Link's shoulder gently. "Link. Hey, Link, wake up."
Link stirred and groaned. "Not now, Malon. Lemme sleep a little more....." He mumbled. Luigi snickered. The noise woke Link up completely, and his eyes blinked open. He sat up and glanced around them. "Where are we?"
"Bowser's castle." Luigi replied while helping the Hylian to his feet. "We're back in my world now."
"We are?" Link replied faintly while holding his head to ease the pounding headache he suddenly had. After a couple moments the pain faded, and he was able to look around them again. "Bowser isn't much of an interior decorator, is he?"
"You don't know the half of it." Luigi grinned. The two stood there for a couple moments longer. "I don't remember this part of the castle at all." Luigi finally remarked.
"You mean we're lost?"
Luigi gave a small shrug. "Looks like it. Might as well start walking and see where we wind up." Luigi moved up ahead and vanished into the darkness. Link followed close behind.
Neither of them knew what hit them. A whoosh of air hit their faces, and suddenly a horrendously loud noise stabbed directly into their brains. Their heads felt like they had exploded, chimes and bells rang in their ears, stars and lights flashed before their vision, and they fell limply to the ground writhing in pain.
It took several minutes for the pounding in Luigi's head to calm down, and even longer for his ears to stop ringing. When he was finally able to lift his head without feeling sick he stood shakily to his feet and walked over to Link.
Link was gasping for breath after breath, grateful to still be alive. Luigi pulled him to his feet and he swayed unsteadily, holding on to Luigi's shoulder for balance. "What in the name of Din was that?" Link gasped.
"I don't know. Whatever it was, it was loud." Luigi replied. He could hear something echoing further down the hallway, and shivered despite the fact that the area was fairly warm. "Let's keep going."
Link nodded and continued walking next to Luigi. Neither said anything for a good while after that, except to argue over which way to go at intersections. Luigi usually won these small arguments because he had been in the castle before. At one point Luigi noticed there were no torches put up along the walls in the hallway they were walking down. They stopped and backtracked to the last torch they had passed, and Luigi grabbed it out of its holder. There was another torch placed on the opposite wall, and Link took that one.
Now armed with light, the companions continued their cautious journey.
Sonic fled at nearly the speed of sound. That robot had scared him, mainly because of how lifelike it seemed. If it hadn't been for the robot's odd armor, he would never have guessed it wasn't organic. He didn't want to have anything to do with robots. They were the main weapons his archnemesis used against him, and he'd learned not to trust any of them.
He could feel the sound barrier straining against him, like an invisible wall, tugging at his arms and legs. He pushed himself to go faster, and the barrier broke with a thunderous sonic boom.
He saw two blurs of green color go by at high speed, but didn't stop to look at them. He just kept running.
"King Bowser! Please get up!"
Kapi was close to tears. Her king was unconscious and in the worst possible location to be. The walls were unceasingly closing inward on them, like the jaws of death come to take their victim. She stomped and yelled, shook Bowser by the shoulders and even tried slapping him across the face, but nothing could wake him. Now she was sitting next to him blinking away the tears that wanted to flow from her eyes, pleading futilely for her king to revive before he was killed.
Mario landed next to Bowser and took in the scene at once. Kapi's eyes widened and she practically leapt with joy. "Mario! You've come to help! Oh, thank you!"
"Well, I, um..." Mario scratched the back of his neck uneasily.
"Mario, what are you DOING?!" Peach screeched from above. "You'll get killed! Get back up here RIGHT NOW!"
"Sorry Princess, I'm helping out a friend!" Mario replied. As an afterthought, he added, "And it isn't Bowser!" Kapi blinked in confusion.
"Hey, Mario, need any help?" It was Mega Man's voice. Mario looked up and saw the big blue eyes of his robot companion staring back questionably.
Mario waved the offer aside. "Nah. I can get this guy out of here easy, But you might want to back away from the hole a bit before I start." Mega Man's face nodded and disappeared from view. "That includes you, too." Mario added to Kapi. The female Koopa obediently stepped back a couple meters, wringing her hands anxiously.
Mario rubbed his hands together and reached underneath Bowser. He groped around for a bit, being careful not to prick himself on Bowser's spike- studded shell. Finally he found what he was looking for; the tail. He grabbed it in both hands. Grinning wickedly, Mario began to swing Bowser around in a circle. When he had enough speed, he tilted the angle of the swing so that it was almost vertical. Then he released Bowser when he was pointed upwards towards the hole with a gleeful cheer of, "Yah-hoo!"
Bowser went sailing up...up...up...
...and missed the hole entirely, smacking into the still-intact part of the ceiling right next to it. The Koopa King fell back to the floor, now more bruised than ever.
There was absolute silence for two seconds.
"Um...oops." Mario mumbled sheepishly. He quickly glanced in Kapi's direction to see her giving him a look which made him wish HE were unconscious instead of Bowser. Indeed, Kapi was looking as if she would punch him out right there and do him the favor . "Mario.....you.....did.....that.....on.....purpose....." She clenched her teeth and spat out each word separately.
Mario quickly began backing away from the seething Koopa, raising up his hands in a defensive posture. "Kapi, I didn't mean to! It was an accident! Honest!"
Kapi didn't seem remotely convinced. However, before a major argument (or perhaps a fight) could start, something happened which made the two of them completely forget what had just occurred.
The low, monotonous rumbling that had accompanied everything up until now cut out. On either side, the rusted metal walls came to a halt with a protesting screech.
"Huh?" Mario grunted.
From the previously-moving walls came a crackling sound, then a familiar voice saying, "Guys? Are you alright? Hello?"
Mario located the source of the noise as a speaker built into the wall up near the ceiling. "Kamek? Is that you?"
"Yes." The voice replied. "I'm in the control room for the garbage compactor. Sorry I took so long, but the door was locked and I couldn't find the key. Is King Bowser all right?"
Mario looked at the battered Koopa who was once again lying on the floor. "Um, well.....in a manner of speaking....."
"Good. You guys need to hurry and get him out of there; I managed to delay the compactor, but I can't stop it. The system is going to automatically start up again in a few minutes. Leave, quickly!"
Mario grimaced and turned back to face Kapi and Bowser. "Right."
The ceiling creaked. Nobody noticed it.
"How the heck are we gonna get Bowser out of there?" Mega Man wondered. An idea suddenly occurred to the robot. "Hang on...Kirby, could you try that 'Ninja Drop' trick you used on him earlier to jump out of there?"
Kirby frowned. "I am NOT going to help HIM! He called me a.....a.....argh, never mind! Besides, even if I did try that, we'd just go through the ceiling of this floor again. And I doubt he'd survive another attack like the last one."
"Well, he's way too heavy for me to haul up by jumping, and my arms are too tired to try another throw." Mario replied. Something within the walls sqeaked and groaned, reminding him that they were running out of time. "Kamek, if you can still hear us, we could use some help here!!"
"There's nothing I can do!" Kamek wailed, sounding a lot less calm than before. "The system's just locked me out! It's overridden all my commands!"
"Then use your magic!"
"I can't use my full power without my old broomstick! It contained a magic amplifier that allowed me to perform my spells!"
"Then just send a Bomb-omb to bust us out!" Mario argued, frustrated.
"Are you insane??" Kamek's voice was shrill with panic. "An explosion like that could destroy the entire castle!"
"ARRGH! Forget it, we'll improvise! Mega Man, I need you down here!"
The blue robot landed next to Mario with a clang. "What's up?"
"How hot do you suppose those bullet-things from your gun are?"
"What, you mean the plasma from my Mega-Buster? Oh, around several hundred degrees, I'd estimate. Why?"
"Good. We can use them."
---------------
Author/Narrator: Ooh, a cliffhanger! I'm just horrible to you guys, aren't I? (Dramatic voice) What's Mario's plan gonna be? Where's Sonic going? How do Luigi and Link fit into this, and why can't I find the ham sandwitch I just made? Tune in to your local computer to find out, on the next chapter of The Crossover Saga!
Man, I've gotta get some more caffeine. Where's my Vanilla Coke when I need it.....?