Chapter 2
"WHAT THE HECK IS HAPPENING!" Kevin screamed.
He, Niki, and Duke are falling through the sky towards what appears to be some sort of invasion. It didn't take long for Kevin to realize that he's seeing the Mushroom Kingdom with Bowser's fleet of airships.
THIS CAN'T BE REAL! IT'S GOTTA BE A DREAM OR–!
Kevin then bumped into a red Paratroopa–very hard–in which the anthropomorphic turtle loses its wings and and started to fall while yelling angrily at the teenager until he (or she?) is out of sight. Despite having a sore shoulder from the impact, Kevin immediately knew that this wasn't a dream, except he couldn't help but notice that the Paratroopa looks slightly different that the official current designs by Nintendo... while looking like a 2D cartoon with a some 3D vibe (kind of like that Netflix film, Klaus, that he saw last year on Christmas during a family gathering). Actually, everyone from the Troopas to the Lakitus looks slightly different as well; even the buildings, the airships, the sky, the sun, the clouds, and everything else look animated as well.
HECK! The teenager just barely noticed his flailing animated arms and legs.
"What the–?!"
Kevin finally heard the screams of Niki as he sharply turned toward the source and saw her. He couldn't believe his eyes that he's seeing his cousin in her 2D animated appearance. The teenager was about to call out to her but he bumped into a another Paratoopa–but a green one this time–sending him away from his cousin until he could no longer see her.
That made him panic as he then saw another Paratroopa–another red one–as he falling towards her (or him?). With a nervous but determined look, he immediately dodged the Paratroopa, but he grabbed onto to its legs.
"WHAT THE–"
The red Paratroopa then noticed his (or her?) unwanted hitchhiker as the flying turtle tried to shake the teenager loose.
"HEY! LET GO!"
"HECK NO!"
While the Paratroopa was trying to get rid of Kevin, Niki managed to grab onto a winged Goomba Shoe as the Goomba herself (or himself?) tries to shake the scared little girl off. Duke on the other hand landed softly on a Lakitu's Cloud–after knocking the Lakitu off–as the doggo began riding the nimbus around the unaware kids.
At the same time, the kids were shaken off of their ride and began falling. Fortunately, Duke unintentionally had Niki landed with him on the Lakitu Cloud. Despite that, the dog was happy to see her as he gave her plenty of dog kisses. The girl was happy to see the teenager's dog too as she hugged him tightly.
Somewhat unfortunately, Kevin kept on falling until he hitched a ride on a Bullet Bill... but he cannot control it as the teenager screamed in terror.
Both of the kids are unware that they were both heading towards the town square (the Bullet Bill was trying to hit the teenager in which its going around and trying to shake him off)... where the Koopa siblings are at! Bowser's children originally stared at the sky until the Ultimate VG-Warp was gone and are currently talking about what transpired.
"What just happened?!" Ludwig asked.
"I have no idea." Iggy simply replied.
"What did you do Jr.?!" Larry asked.
"I didn't do anything! I swear!"
The Koopa kids kept on questioning on what just happened earlier with the Power Cube as Roy then noticed the Bullet Bill and the Lakitu Cloud heading straight towards them.
"Uh... guys..." Roy said with nervous tone as he slowly pulled down his signature sunglasses.
"I think you must've pushed a button on the cube when you fell little bro." Morton Jr. said.
"But there aren't any buttons the darn thing!" Wendy argued.
"Maybe it's a hidden button?" Lemmy suggested while still balancing on his ball.
"GUYS!" Roy shouted.
"WHAT?!" The rest of the siblings asked in irritation.
Roy pointed at the sky as the rest of the siblings saw both the Bullet Bill and Lakitu Cloud heading straight towards them.
They all have a panicked look on their faces as they quickly ran in separate directions, but they weren't far enough to prevent themselves from getting hurled from the explosion. Kevin luckily jumped off just in time, but the shockwave hurled into a into a wagon full of goods where are sleeping brown yoshi is harnessed to; the creature unaware of what's transpiring right now.
Both Niki and Duke on the other hand were close to the explosion, but the shockwave hurled them off of the nimbus and into a fruit stand, close to the wagon the teenager landed in, unharmed.
Dust in the air was thick as a fog while remains of the debris were scattered across the town square. As the dust slowly dispersed, both Jr. and Niki were unaware that they rubbing eyes at the same time as the first thing they see is each other. Both of them were only a few feet apart as they noticed one another.
The young crowned prince blushed at the sight of young human in front of him.
Golly! She's pretty!
He has seen other young girls–of various races–around his age and always considered them gross (I mean, what young boy wouldn't), except none of them ever caught both his attention, breath, and his heart like the one before him. This confused him at first until he realized he's starting to have a crush on her.
Is this what Dad felt when he first meet Mom? And when he first met Momma Peach?
Niki on the other hand stared at him with wide eyes while in disbelief who's she's seeing. She wasn't clueless that his was the son of Bowser, but the young girl was both puzzled and surprised that the young koopa looked different from Nintendo's depiction of him.
The two kept staring at each other until Jr. waved "Hi" at the girl with a nervous grin. Niki slowly waved back without changing her expression. The only reason she did it is because it was rude not to wave back.
Kevin groaned as he slowly got up and checked were both his cousin and dog are. As he looked behind the fruit stand, he saw Duke eating an abandoned meaty sandwich. Then he saw his cousin in the fruit stand unharmed... except for a few splattered pieces and juices of fruit on her.
The teenager sighed in relief that both them are alive.
"Niki, I'm glade you and Duke are alright."
She didn't respond which gave Kevin a puzzled look. He then turned to where his cousin was staring at and he almost gasped. Right in front of him is Bowser Jr.! The teenager too had the same thoughts about the young koopa's appearance.
As the dust fully cleared up, he also got to see Koopalings as well, as they lay on the floor groaning in slight pain.
OH CRAP!
Kevin knew he can't beat them, since he's an ordinary human and nothing like Mario or Luigi! Then a second though came across his mind since he's in the VGversere, maybe he can take them on. But he discarded that entirely as he's not going to risk that chance!
"NIKI! DUKE! LET'S GET OUT OF HERE!"
He instantly grabbed and threw his cousin into the wagon, which surprised her, as the canine also jumped into it. Kevin then immediately got onto the driver's seat of the wagon and whipped the reins, startling the yoshi. The dinosaur-like creature's eyes went wide as he (or she?) panicked and started to run out of town while pulling the wagon.
The sudden movement of the wagon yanked him into the back with his dog and cousin.
Bowser Jr. was sad that the girl was going away... until something caught his eyes that caused him to panic and sweat. He caught a glimpse of the Power Cube in the back of the wagon before it was out of sight entirely.
"Oh no..."
"What is it?" Asked Ludwig as the rest of the Koopalings groaned from the aches in their bodies.
"Ow! My back!" Iggy moaned.
The prince sighed as he explained about the Power Cube to his siblings.
Four Minutes Later...
The wagon was on a high cliff, over looking both Toad Town and the Mushroom Castle by two to three miles a way. Duke and Niki were watching Kevin arguing with the freed yoshi as the teenager apologized for startling her (by the confirmation of the creature) and explaining what happened back at Toad Town. After a while the Yoshi somewhat forgives and then left. The teenager didn't understand what the yoshi said but apparently she will come back soon to get the wagon back since she's going back to check out Toad Town.
Kevin sighed and groaned as he then sat on the driver seat of the wagon.
"I can't believe this is happening! I should be excited, but we almost died in which I can't!"
"Kevin," Niki began to ask, "How can we get back home?"
"I... I don't know. Just let me think."
The teenager then began to remember when he started the Game Master into the NES and the story in it. But he couldn't since there was an annoying sound of a digital 8bit voice repeating "Not Registered User!" over and over. Kevin turned around with an annoyed until he's surprised see Duke repeatedly touching the light-blue object.
"It's the Power Cube!"
Niki then grabbed the object with both of her hands as she held it up.
"This thing?"
"Yeah!" The teenager exclaimed excitedly. "I think it brought us here in the VGverse! If it can do that, it can take us back home!"
Both Niki and Duke are excited as well until the young girl then looked concerned.
"Wait a minute... back home, didn't Bowser Jr. and his siblings had it before us? And how did the cube end up in the wagon.
Kevin's eyes lit up with realization. "Huh. I think the explosion caused it to fly into it."
His expression went back to excitement as he continued "Well none of that matters right now. With it, we can go home!"
"But what if they're searching for it?"
"Even if they are, I doubt they'll find us that quickly." Kevin reassured his cousin. "Now quickly! Hand over the cube–"
Then Duke out of nowhere began growling and later barking at something behind him in the sky. Niki gasped in fear while Kevin wears an expression of annoyance.
Three Minutes Earlier... Back at the Mushroom Castle
A few Präsvers created holographic screens in mid-air as it shows what transpired the moment the Ultimate VG-Warp was opened. Princess Lana and her steward, Bitburn, (the fellow with a 8-bit looking mustache and holographic visor-like eyewear), as they watched Kevin, Niki, and Duke with both Princess Peach, and Toadsworth.
"I thought the Power Cube was supposed to summon only the Game Master?" Princess Peach asked.
"The portal must've accidently sucked the two that are with him." Bitburn replied.
"Oh dear." Toadsworth said.
"And the Power Cube chose a FREAKING TEENAGER AS OUR SAVIOR?!" Lana said in both disbelief and annoyance.
"Are you seriously being picky right now your highness?!" Bitburn said disapprovingly.
"Of I am! I have every right to be! The VGverse is right in middle of a huge crisis if you forgotten!"
"Don't speak with that tone with me missy."
The princess shifted uncomfortably and apologetically. She knew that the steward didn't deserve to be treated like that. He was the one that raised her and her older brother, Lyle, when the their father was too busy with his duties. Then the teenage girl remembered her mother, who passed away when she was just seven years old, looked after them before Bitburn bit did. Just two years ago, when Lyle was supposed to be crowned king, he just disappeared. The King sent out search parties to find him, but that stopped when Videoland was invaded.
"... Sorry Bitburn."
"It's all right. And besides, he's around your age. This will make it easier for the two of you to get along."
"I guess."
Then Lana turned toward to Peach and asked "Your majesty, do you know were this cliff is located?"
"Of course." Peach replied.
"Good, can you send your men to fetch them and the cube."
"Again, of course my dear." Peach replied. "And with great haste."
As Princess Peach gave the commands to her soldiers, one of the Präsvers with the floating screen said "Uh, Bitburn. We got a problem."
Everyone then turned back to the screens as expressions of horror is across their faces.
"Oh no!" Lana said.
Back at the cliff...
Kevin was about to turn around until some knocked him off the wagon. He quickly got up and it was Bowser Jr. in his clown car that that did that. And he snatched both his cousin and the Power Cube as well!
"NIKI!"
Then both the teenager and his dog began chasing after them on foot besides the edges of the cliff. And when there was no ground left ahead of them, Kevin instinctively knew there's way to catch up now. But suddenly a red loading circle flashed across the edges of his irises and then suddenly he jumped and latched onto the flying vehicle. Duke on the other hand didn't jump and stopped right at the edge.
"LAND ON THE GROUND AND GIVE BACK BOTH MY COUSIN AND THE CUBE!" the teenager demanded.
"HEY GET OFF! MY CLOWN CAR CAN'T CARRY THIS MUCH WEIGHT!"
Kevin tried to get into the car until Niki shouted "KEVIN, LOOK OUT!"
Then the teenager turned around and saw Ludwig in his clown car activating the punching glove mechanism in which it hit Kevin and hurled him off of Jr's clown car.
"KEVIN!"
Bowser couldn't believe that Ludwig did that as the girl began to bawl her eyes out in which feeling bad about it.
Kevin kept falling until he hit a couple of branches that broke it.
The teenager was lucky to be alive and unharmed, especially his clothing, but he's pretty banged up.
And before he fell into unconsciousness, Kevin kept hearing his cousin crying out for him until all he could see was darkness and all he could hear was silence.
Ugh... my head.
Kevin groaned in pain as he slowly sat up from a bed.
Wait a minute... a bed!
The teenagers eyes went wide he quickly scanned his surroundings. It looks like a royal guestroom of some sorts. And on the bed with him is his loyal dog Duke.
He too slowly woke up as the canine also yawned. And as the dog say Kevin awake, he immediately barked with joy and began to lick him non-stop.
"Jeez Duke cut it out!" Kevin said with a grin.
When the dog stopped twelve seconds later, Kevin continued looking around he saw both the window and a clock. The window was open showing the morning sun and the clock reading 8:42 A.M.
Wait a minute...
Then the teenager began to panic as he realized that he, Duke and Niki have been gone from home since yesterday! And to make matters worse, he remembered that both Niki and the Power Cube has been taken by both Bowser Jr. and the Koopalings!
"OH CRAP DUKE! OUR FAMILIES ARE PROBABLY WORRIED SICK ABOUT US!"
Kevin just got his shoe-less feet onto the ground, while noticing his shoes right next to his bed, when the door to his room opened as doctor-looking Toad entered the room and was shocked to seem him awake.
"BY THE STARS!"
Then the doctor began shouting "HE'S AWAKE! HE'S AWAKE! HE'S AWAKE!"
That somewhat startled him and his dog as two people rushed into the room.
It was Princess Lana and Bitburn.
Wow... the princess is beautiful in real life than in pixels. Kevin thought.
"Oh thank goodness!" Bitburn said with sigh.
Duke then jumped of the bed and sat in front of the princess as he wagged his tail furiously.
"Hello again Duke." Lana said with a smile
Wait a minute... how did she know his–! Kevin then frowned in annoyance in realization while feeling a little bit stupid. She must've checked his name tag on his collar.
"We are so grateful that you're awake Game Master!" Bitburn said.
Kevin frowned. "Don't call me that!"
Both the princess and her steward are shocked.
"But why–"
"At first I thought it would be cool to be be some video game super hero." Kevin continued. "But it too dangerous for my own good! Including both Duke and Niki! And now my cousin is held hostage by those turtle-dragon siblings at some castle in a volcano!"
"Actually she's still among the flock of airships 120 miles away from here." Bitburn corrected.
"Huh?"
"From the info gathered by one of the Mushroom Kingdom scouts, apparently they're waiting for Bowser to arrive there to meet up with his children less than 12 hours."
"Then why are we standing around here for! We need to–"
Kevin stumbled when he tried to walk towards them, but Lana caught him just in time before he fell.
"You're recovering from both Ludwig's clown car punch and the fall!"
"Does that look like I care!" The teenager almost shouted. "I mean, what is so important about that Power Cube anyways!"
"Wait a minute, how do you know what that is?" Lana asked. "You, your dog and cousin just got here yesterday."
After the princess helped Kevin sit onto the bed, the teenager began to explain how they got into the VGverse when he found the game cartridge. Both of the Präsvers were both in awe and uneasy.
"Maybe... the cube has something to do with the cartridge?" Lana said. "I mean, it's impossible for those in both the Real World and the VGverse to visit each other. That's got to be the logical explanation."
"I'm sorry but I don't want to be the Game Master!"
Both the princess and the steward are aghast.
"I mean I have school and other busy stuff in my life right now!"
Lana frowned in frustration. "You can't just turn down you destiny like that! You've been chosen by the Power Cube to save both of our realities! If the villains get their hand on it and figure out how to use it–"
"SERIOUSLY, WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH IT!" Kevin shouted. "Is it a weapon? An upgrade? A calculator?! I mean what am I supposed to do with it as this supposed Game Master!"
It looks like Lana was about to strangle the teenage until Bitburn said after sighing "You can't do anything with it in it's current form!"
Both of the teenagers stared at him with a puzzled expression.
"Bitburn what are you talking about? No one knows about anything on the Power Cube. Not even my father."
"Your father does know, and he gave me the knowledge about it."
"What?" Lana said in disbelief.
"I'm sorry that I kept this from you your highness. I was going to explain it during the meeting with Princess Peach, but the situation have changed."
Bitburn turned his attention to Kevin as he continued. "I wish you touched the Power Cube sooner. That way it will be bound and used only to you while also gaining the power you need to protect both the Real World and the VGverse in the Power Cube's true form."
Bitburn calmly inhaled in and out slowly in a unintentional suspenseful kind of way. "The legendary Power Glove. The signature weapon of the Game Master."
Author's Note
The appearance and artstyle of the characters in the Super Mario games (including those in the Donkey Kong games since they belong in the same universe lore-wise) are the same as Earthsong9405/ashontejohnsonart from both DeviantArt, Tumblr, and Twitter (the villains and enemies in the Donkey Kong games however remain in their original Nintendo like design but in Earthsong's awesome artstyle). From what I've read/heard, she's okay with it as long they acknowledge her art (and her OCs) as hers (gosh I hope I'm right or else I'll have to edit this). Plus, the reason I chose her character designs to add in this fanfic is because they're really cool and different from the normal designs by Nintendo. As for the other video game characters, I'll just leave them as they are, except they'll slightly be in Earthsong's artstyle, but in Nintendo's design... in my mind anyways since I didn't see any.