Bowser was sprinting happily through the forest, snow-covered tress above his reptilian head. He had a smile on his face, for nothing pleased him more than running for his life, without a care in the world, knowing that not even the Mushroom Kingdom could harness his imagination. He leapt and jumped throughout the wood, completely joyful in his solitude.
That day he was exploring the West Wood, one of the few places he hadn't ventured yet. He never was a harnessed soul; he would always leave the table far before supper was finished just so he could journey out into a region that was untouched by his feet.
He, too, had noticed a change in the climate, and was puzzled by the event. He remembered the words of the old witch: "The sun will rise when the chosen one comes." This excited him a little. This chosen one could be the one who would step up and stop the Toads from treating the Koopas so poorly. He hated the Mushroom Kingdom and its inhabitants, and wished they would all respect him and his kind.
His thoughts went back to the witch, who lived in the West Valley, and wondered if he should visit her again. She was a strange one and didn't want to bother her at a bad time. She was known to transform people into inanimate objects or animals when she was angered.
He wondered why she didn't do anything about the "Toad Empire." She had more than enough power to take out their whole army, yet she refused to use it. Why?
His thoughts were interrupted by the horrible sound of marching in the snow. He stopped moving and held his breath. Toad troops. Huge, muscular beings, green-skinned and webbed-toed, were approaching. He must've accidentally left Keep Canyon and entered their territory.
He could hear their voices echoing in the cold woods. If they caught him, they would take him strait to King Wart, who would make a slave out of him for sure. The two troops were walking down a barely visible trail, talking about how the Mushroom Kingdom was falling apart.
"I'm tellin' ya, Wart's not takin' this 'king' thing very seriously." one stated.
"True dat!" the other replied. "Prince Toadstool would rule this Kingdom a hell of a lot better than that ol' guy."
"Yeah, and…" their voices trailed off. Bowser sighed, thinking that they had left. He got out of hiding and continued walking back to Keep Canyon territory. He whipped the sweat from his brow and thanked God that he didn't get caught. Too bad he was horribly wrong.
"Gotcha!" they cried as they leapt out from behind a tree. Bowser tried to scream, but they covered his mouth with a cloth.
"Wait 'til Wart hears that we've got another slave for 'im!" they whispered to each other. "My, will he be pleased!"
A small tear trickled down Bowser's face. He couldn't bear to think of life as a slave. It was so ironic, because just a few minutes ago he was thinking that nobody could cage his spirit. Now, there he was, being dragged into slavery by two monstrous Toads. He gave up all hope when, suddenly…
"Step away from him!" a crackly voice called out. The two Toads looked behind them, worried at first, and then began to burst into uncontrollable laughter. It was the witch, dressed in purple robes.
"What do you want, old hag?" one of the troops chuckled. "Now listen, walk away slowly and we promise not to take you to the slave pit with this turtle!" The witch frowned.
"You are warning me, yet I should be doing the same." She spoke with such elegance and grace, almost as if she was reciting poetry rather than threatening Toads. The troops starred at her, confused by her artistic speech. Finally, one of them pulled out a large hammer, which hung from his belt.
"Alright, lady, I don't know what your problem is but it's gonna end soon!" He ran towards her, hammer clenched in his fist, ready to kill. The witch narrowed her eyes and reached into her robes.
"Get back!" she cried, pulling out a small wand. Color and light burst from its tip, blinding Bowser and the remaining Toad. All the young Koopa could hear was the screeching sound of the Toad, now caught in a sea of light. When the light dimmed down, all that remained of the trooper was his hammer and a stone block.
Bowser grinned at the witch's triumph, as the other Toad starred in horror at the block, then at the old lady. He ran away as fast as his large legs could carry him, kicking snow up in Bowser's face. The witch laughed and then sat atop the block.
"Don't fret, child," she said calmly. "You are safe now."
Bowser smiled so brightly and joined the witch up on the block. "That was amazing!" he cried, awe-stricken. "How did you ever learn how to do that?"
"There is much I know that others do not." Was the lady's response, then, as if by magic, pulled out a small purple broomstick. "Now, let us retreat, before more buffoons come and try to enslave us."
She mounted her broom and reached out for Bowser's claw. He starred at her outstretched hand suspiciously, but then grasped it and climbed on. He felt a strange aura of magic flowing through him as his feet left the ground. It truly was a strong sense of wonder as they began to defy gravity and fly towards the setting sun.
Yay Wicked refrences!