Once again, thank you for your continued patience!
This one builds off of the last chapter, which is shorter than the last one, but I kept adding details.
Anyway, we're not here to hear me babble. Set some time aside, and enjoy the next chapter!
...
The Airship floated across the early evening sky, closer toward the Mountains. It slowed as it approached the peak, with Princess Peach and her allies in sight. Wendy, Ludwig, and Larry walked across the deck, and gazed at the seven below.
"There's no going back if we do this," reminded Wendy. "You do know that, right?"
"We're simply staying the course we've always been on," affirmed Ludwig.
"Really? You needed the boat joke?"
"Absolutely."
"Can we just get this over with?!" Larry slammed his hands against the ship's railing. "I want to see them squirm. We might even get lucky and deal with less of them."
"Doubtful," determined Ludwig. "The fortress is right there, and they'll definitely duck in there for brief cover. However, the troops within it should wear them down."
"So we're counting on them to get up here?"
"Essentially."
"We could just blow up the fortress below, you know," advised Wendy. "That they might not survive."
"That's what we'll try, but I'm not placing my faith in that either." Ludwig shook his head, brushing his hair back. "Likely, they'll manage to make it out and jump aboard the ship."
"Why didn't we keep our distance then?"
"Targeting from afar would have likely resulted in more missed shots.
"So, what, we're going to waste the ammo to force them into the fortress, waste the troops within to wear them down, and then just sit idle as they charge up the anchors of the Airship to attack us?" Larry shook his head. "Why are we doing that?"
"Likely because it's our best chance, especially after the delay we had from starting this assault," reminded Ludwig. "By keeping a distance, we would be able to attack them without risking them boarding the ship. But by doing that, who knows what Peach will do to attack us?" He lifted his wand and gazed at it. "We may have our own assortment of magic tricks, but Peach's scepter has power behind it that's unlike anything we've ever dealt with."
"You think that by forcing them on here, we'll have better odds at dealing with her close quarters, rather than her felling the ship from a distance," realized Wendy.
"Precisely."
"That sounds good in theory, but them being on the ship is just as much of a threat as them from a distance."
"What's stopping Peach from launching her entire party on board now?"
"Your, uh, majesties?" The three Koopalings spun around and glared at a Koopa Troopa, who cowered back under their gaze. "Um…we n-need to do something."
"We're not Bowser's children," snapped Larry. "We're your superiors, not royalty. Get it right."
"Y-yes sir."
"Guess we're on top of them," noted Wendy. "Time's up, then."
"Give the troops an order to fire all cannons," ordered Ludwig.
"Right away sir!" The Koopa rushed off around the Airship, shouting out, "Fire all!"
"Are we ready for them this time?" Wendy turned her golden bracelet around her wrist, watching her enemies on the Mountains below. "Because I'm increasingly less certain as this goes on. And the three of us are the ones that lost our battles."
"All seven of us have lost plenty of times," corrected Larry, and brought his wand out as well. "This time will be different. This time, we fight together, and we go all out!"
Both turned to Ludwig, who remained silent, as he tightened his grip on his wand. The wind howled past them, and they waited only half a minute before the first cannon fire rang out.
[Peach]
As the first shot rang out, I jabbed my scepter forward at the Airship. If I had enough time, I could take the whole thing down.
But even as I spotted the first Bullet Bill rocketing forward, another shot burst from the Airship, and then a third rang out.
"W-what are those?" Pauline gasped as she followed my gaze. "Are those bullets?!"
"Bullet Bills," confirmed Toadette. "They'll soar down at us before crashing into us, and possibly exploding."
"No," I corrected. "They'll explode before they ever present a threat."
I opened my hand as my Royal Scepter flashed. A fireball rested over my palm, fingers cupped, and I aimed for the Bullet Bill that came rushing down at us. My eyes lowered as I pictured the glare from the speeding, explosive bullet, the white fists tightened for its violent assault.
The embers sparked and I jabbed my rod forward, lowering my fingers. Ripping forward, the fire soared away from me and into the sky. The first Bullet Bill erupted in a fiery pink and red blast.
As the flames fade, I spotted the next pair coming at us. Repeating the process, I launched another fireball out. And then another, as three more Bill Blasters fired the next Bullet Bills.
Still, I kept going; the heat repeatedly washed over my hand before disappearing, and embers sailed down from the sky. They rocketed out more, though, as three bullets became five, and five doubled to ten.
"Peach, just end it already!"
Daisy ran up to my side, and I barely spotted her in my peripheral vision, concentrating on the raining Bullet Bills.
Inhaling and exhaling slowly, I placed my hand against the heart-shaped head, as the blue and pink jewels shined between my gloved fingers. Gradually pulling my hand from it, small orbs of lights decorated the space between, which then lined horizontally and floated in front of me.
Gritting my teeth, I pulled the scepter further from my hand, and the space occupied by shimmering orbs matched that between my extended fingers.
As they stilled, I relaxed my hands and brought them down, exhaling. I brushed my hair back from my eyes and glared at the numerous bullets descending. Twirling the wand, I jabbed it forward and sent the orbs racing into the sky. Each one collided with a Bullet Bill that flew at us, and blasted it away. Several even managed to crash into the Airship itself.
…But more cannon fire rang out, and more Bullet Bills appeared.
Dragging my hands apart again, I shuddered and watched my arms tremble. Shaking my head, I dropped them as my scepter's light faded.
"What's wrong?" Luigi walked behind me, probably with some fear in his eyes. "Peach?"
With a grunt, I pulled my wand back and thrust it into the sky. A pink bolt danced around the clouds above and struck down at the Airship.
My mouth dropped open as a rainbow sphere encased the Airship and knocked the bolt away, back into the sky and guarded the floating boat.
Quickly, I spun my rod around and spiraled my body in time with it. Slowing, I twirled it and jutted it forward. A deep pink bubble rose up from the ground around us and formed around the area nearby.
We watched as the Bullet Bills collided with my shield, blasting apart upon impact. I lowered my arms, but focused on the shield, narrowing my eyes between the dulled fuchsia flashes of explosions.
"Well, at least we're not getting blown to smithereens," quipped Birdo.
"How did they get that shield?" Yoshi plodded somewhere behind me. "Who's up there?"
"They've got Magikoopa and the Koopalings have wands," reminded Daisy. "I'm sure they have magical tricks up their sleeves. Not to mention supernatural, if you count Boos and other zombie grunts. Take your pick."
"Princess Peach?" Toadette's hand tugged on my leg a bit. "Is everything ok?"
"Hold on…"
Another bullet crashed. Another explosions. My eyes narrowed again.
As they opened, though, I caught sight of it this time: my bubble was slowly reforming itself. There was an opening from the explosions.
"Uh, Peach?" Pauline stepped forward this time. "Are you ok?"
She walked closer, probably noticed my leg shift back a bit. I stumbled back a little more, eyes twitched, as I watched another Bullet Bill crash into my shield. And another two followed it. The holes they left were bigger than the last.
I blinked and shuddered, and the shield began to fizzle and fade.
"What the—?"
"Peach, what's going on?"
"I…I can't hold it."
My shield flickered again as another barrage of Bullet Bills shattered it open further. I gaped at the falling bits of light, floating like scattered petals before my eyes.
"Peach?"
"Run!"
Twisting around, I barely caught sight of everyone else's wide eyes and gaping mouths, as I whipped my wand about. Spinning back, I raised columns and walls of stone. The first few were barely up before Bullet Bills knocked them to bits.
"Now!"
Pivoting back again, I sped on the heels of my friends, as they raced into the grotto. Whizzing Bullet Bills rushed behind us, and I listened to them crash against stonewalls I had risen.
We ran down the steps and past the small entryway for the temple fortress hybrid. Slowing, I took in the Toad statues that waited in the shrine at the entrance. Part of me wanted to use a protective charm, but hammering heart told me better than that.
Another explosion forced me forward, after my friends and into the fortress.
Yoshi and Birdo slammed the gates shut behind me, and I winced at the thundering blasts from outside. The whole structure rumbled, and I glanced up to watch as dust and pebbles rained from above us.
"Wait, so…this is some kind of fortress?" Pauline stepped forward a bit, and gazed around at the cavern. "It's like a cave, but those statues outside, and these decorations inside," she paused to point at the idols, pottery, and wind chimes. "That's not…I don't know, warlike? Or, defensive, I guess?"
"It was designed originally for the monks to use," Toadette explained. "There are Toads that used to use this a place of worship to the Stars above, and how they created the world around us." She scratched behind her head, and shuddered from the next impact against the mountain's temple. "They dwindled over the years, however, and mostly cleared out. Before Peach, this place's artifacts were meant to remain as a testament to its history. There are weapon supply rooms installed in different side rooms now, which were added without disrupting the original structure."
"And we're about to lose all of that," I murmured, as more bits of the structure crumbled.
"Hold on, I still don't understand," piped up Pauline again. "Can't you just keep us protected under that huge bubble thing?"
"It requires concentration and it's not limitless," I summarized. "As long as I can cast the projection of light, it would hold for a little while, but under repetitive attacks, it's easy to get distracted and worn out."
"So it's like an actual shield, almost," reiterated Luigi.
"Yes."
"Ok, great, history and magic lesson was fun," interrupted Daisy. "But we really have to move, now."
"She's right," I agreed. Walking forward inside, I pointed up toward the very top of the fortress, still another climb of its own. "We need to get to the spire's apex."
"And what are we going to do there?" Birdo folded her arms. "This whole place is crumbling. What, are you going to launch us onto the Airship from there?"
"That's exactly what I'm going to do."
"No, I was just kidding—"
"Peach, are you serious?"
"Can we think of a real plan?"
"They have a counter spell around the Airship, so I can't attack it from below," I explained. "We go back outside or wait here much longer, we're going to get blown to bits or crushed under the collapsing walls."
"So you want us to fall to our deaths after we bounce off of their shield?" Yoshi shook his head. "Peach, that's not a good idea at all."
"I'm so glad everyone paid attention to the part where I mentioned that my shield was overloaded by constant attacks," I snapped. "If we get to the highest point, and pick at their shield, it won't hold."
"Do we even have the time for that?"
"If we keep arguing about it because you all hate me right now, then no, we're pretty much dead." I walked on ahead. "If the rest of you have better ideas, get to them. I'm sure Yoshi and Birdo can flutter down the mountainside, right?"
"Ok, Peach, we get it," fired back Luigi. "No need to be rude about it."
"Oh, sorry; let me just pick up my usual cheery demeanor while my Toads lives are still at risk, and we have the chance of getting killed here and now ourselves."
"She's got a point," backed Daisy.
"Thank you, Daisy. Now come on; if Bowser's already taken control of this place, there will be guards ahead."
"Why would they put any guards in here?" Pauline questioned as we began to ascend up the cavern temple. "Wouldn't they leave this place empty to avoid casualties from attacking us?"
"They took over by sending troops here," I reminded her. "They wouldn't be able to hold it if they just pulled them out immediately."
"But…by attacking here now…"
"It's going to get bad, yes."
Further up and ahead, we slowed ourselves at the sound of a heavy crash. Ambling ahead, it slammed again and we barely managed to keep our footing.
"Would they have put those in here?"
"Put what?"
Walking ahead, forcing myself to a stop with another quake from the ground below and the ceiling above, I balanced myself once more. Into an open room, I gazed inside at the large spiked block lift itself back into the air, and then levitated in place. Several more waited around the room, some spaced out, while others were together.
"Thwomps."
"What?!"
Luigi darted ahead of me a bit, but skidded to a halt, not daring to venture too far out. A stone bridge connected our room to the center, and across to the next area we needed to go. It was designed to withstand tremors and not crumble easily, supported by stone columns that ran to the base of the peak. It wasn't a straightforward run, forcing travelers to climb up and down as they carried on across, but it made due.
Naturally, the Koopa Troop would use this to their advantage.
"Great, so, stop and go nonsense that will force us to waste time this early," determined Daisy. "Why couldn't this be something easy to handle, like Goombas or Koopa Troopas usually are?"
"Because they're valued enough as living segments of Bowser's army," I spat. "Goombas, Koopas, weak as they can be, still amount to something worth keeping alive, worth protecting, and have larger civilizations that extend even outside of the Mushroom Kingdom." I glared ahead as Thwomps opened their eyes to scowls of their own, slamming down at varying intervals. "Thwomps don't have that value in the Koopa Kingdom; they are used more often as traps than soldiers."
"Then…if they're left here while the attack from outside carries forward…" Toadette gasped. "Peach, they'll die! Blown to bits like the rest of the mountain!"
"Pretty sure Bowser must already know that," I murmured. Pivoting back to Luigi, I lowered my eyes. "Still think Mario hasn't gotten in over his head?"
"On that, I'll agree that he has, but I'm still not admitting that he's against you," snapped Luigi.
"Look, we can argue about this later," interrupted Pauline. "We've still got Bullet Bills bombing at us from outside, right? Let's put a move on it, then."
"That's a nice thought, sweetie," grumbled Birdo, "but you're forgetting that we have a very large number of problems ahead."
"No, we don't."
Lifting my Royal Scepter, I waved it around us, same as before. Again, a deep pink bubble surrounded us.
"Didn't you mention that you couldn't hold this?" Yoshi frowned and folded his arms. "If you can't concentrate, or if this shield takes too much damage—"
"Then we better move quickly, huh?"
Forcing everyone ahead with me, we stepped onto the stone walkway that led across the middle of the mountain fortress. The first Thwomp groaned and slammed down overhead, but we charged past it with ease.
"You all need to get out of here," called Toadette. "If you stay, you'll die!"
"It'll be an honor," rumbled the Thwomp we left behind. "We'd rather fall by your hands than betray King Bowser."
"They've got rocks for brains," proclaimed Daisy. "Possibly literally."
"That doesn't mean they deserve to lose their lives!"
"Why not?" I kept my eyes on my shield and the path ahead, but could imagine Toadette's horrified expression. "I didn't mean it like that. Bowser has left plenty of his troops to suffer at the end of a fortress or castle's destruction. Why would now be any different for him to do that?"
"Especially with these lugs," chimed in Daisy.
Again, a Thwomp ahead of us slammed down, narrowly missing the bubble around my friends. I exhaled and narrowed my eyes, as we hurried forward from the rising Thwomp ahead.
"They've gotten past me as well," rattled the rising Thwomp. "Don't let them go forward!"
"We'll squash them yet," roared a distant Thwomp.
Everyone climbed over a higher portion of the bridge, either jumping up like Luigi and Yoshi can, or lending a helping hand to the likes of Pauline and Toadette.
A Thwomp tried to crash down from above us, but I jabbed my Royal Scepter at it, with my bubble of light forcing it back into the air. It swayed from the weight, but remained intact.
"It's true, she's using magic," wailed the retreating Thwomp.
"Are they just learning that?" Yoshi scratched his arm. "How long have they been out of the loop?"
"Let's shout about Mario and Bowser being in a relationship and find out," suggested Birdo.
"How about let's not do that," countered Luigi. "We don't have the time to explain that, now do we?"
"We could make time—"
"Birdo, no."
"You're just lucky we're stuck in this bubble together."
We hopped down to the next part of the bridge, as three Thwomps alternated between slamming down overhead. My arms quaked from each tremor, and I barely managed to move forward.
"Princess Peach? Are you ok?"
Toadette's question froze me, as I felt my body shudder while the Thwomps were in the air.
"Peach, you can't hold that," realized Luigi. "We need to rethink this."
"Absolutely not," I argued. "Let's go."
Again, everyone charged forward, as the Thwomps shook and came crashing down. We dodged the first, but the second and third slammed against my shield. Gritting my teeth, I thrust the wand up, and forced the two away from us. The bubble quivered, and I spotted holes from the spikes.
"Peach?"
"We need to move faster," I ordered. "Now, right now!"
Everyone rushed forward, away from the three Thwomps that crashed down behind us once more.
Ahead, I winced just looking, there was a gap between the path forward, a small spot to fall into a slight dip, and a Thwomp right above the area between to jump across. Falling in meant getting flattened for sure, but even timing the jump wrong would yield the same results.
"No way, no," started Luigi. "Peach, come on, I've been on enough of these adventures and faced situations just like this. We can't all make this jump at once, and we can't rely on your shield to take the hits for us."
"One at a time, then," I decided. "If we each go across quickly, the shield can hold off attacks from above—"
"And then shatter!" Yoshi stomped his foot down. "Peach, we can all see those holes! If we take too long, waiting on all seven of us, that shield won't hold. And I'm not going to be the one that gets crushed over this!"
"Fine, you two wait here then." I stepped forward, closer to the edge, but then turned back. "If anyone else wants to wait with them, go ahead. Anyone that actually wants to get this taken care of, to survive, let's go."
Daisy and Toadette glanced at one another before following me. I spun around to face ahead, but the Thwomp slammed down before me.
It only needed to graze the bubble, but contact must have been made, and I watch it burst into a flurry of floating pieces.
"No…"
As the Thwomp lifted before me, my arm dropped, and I stared ahead. If it wasn't difficult before, this only made it harder.
"We're wasting time," I murmured. "If we take too long here—"
"Don't sweat it," insisted Daisy. "I've got this."
Inhaling and exhaling, she pulled her arm back, with an orange glow that emitted from her rings. Quickly, she slammed her fist into the ground before her, and I watched as dark, amber crystals erupted from the pit below, reaching up to the Thwomp.
Blinking, I shook my head and looked again. She had only used the corners of the space ahead. The path had new pillars to keep the Thwomp at bay, while still allowing us to jump ahead.
"That buys us maybe a few free jumps," determined Daisy. "Pauline, Toadette, you two go first."
"Hold on." Yoshi pointed at his saddled back. "Pauline, hop on. Toadette, let me pick you up."
They did so, and Yoshi rushed forward, easily making the jump across. The Thwomp slammed down, shattering Daisy's crystals already, but unable to crash back down.
"Luigi, this one is yours," instructed Daisy.
Nodding, Luigi vaulted across as the Thwomp tried to crash down again. He missed the plumber entirely, and crashed against the bridge's gap.
"Our turn, ladies!"
Daisy winked to Birdo and I, but only Birdo nodded to her. My arms shook more violently, and my grip against my rod tightened again.
"Ready?" Daisy watched the Thwomp lift from the ground below, and levitated back above. "Now!"
She cleared the gap as the Thwomp still rose, and Birdo followed her. I stumbled forward and jumped up, but I knew that I hadn't put enough strength into my legs.
Kicking my heels, I flicked my scepter and hovered slightly. The Thwomp shuddered above me as I floated in place a bit, trying to push myself through the air.
I wasn't going to make it.
A red, sticky tongue wrapped around my waist and dragged me through the air, just before the Thwomp crashed down.
Yoshi's slurped his tongue back into his mouth. Pauline's shoulders dropped in relief as Toadette rushed over to me.
"Princess! Thank goodness!" She clasped tightly to my legs. "That was too close."
"My timing must have been off," decided Daisy.
"No, it wasn't," argued Birdo. "She should have made that."
"Of course, but I should have done better—"
"Stop." I shook my head. "Daisy, she's right. You timed it perfectly."
"But…Peach—"
"It doesn't make a difference now." I strode past them, and spotted more debris crumble over us. "We wasted time over the bridge anyway. Let's find a way to scale this fortress faster."
"Just how are we supposed to—?"
"Warp Pipes." I folded my arms as I continued, trying to stop my shaking. "They were installed here for Toads to make the travel around here faster, in case of emergencies."
"So, we can just immediately warp to the top?"
"Not exactly," picked up Toadette. "The Warp Pipes were given limited transportation, in case of invasions from Bowser's forces. So…they go further up the spire, but not to the top." She groaned softly to herself. "And…for additional countermeasures, there are only a few. Like, two. Sets, that is."
"Great." Birdo grumbled incoherently for a second after that. "Let me guess: it's still a hike to get to each one."
"The first should be nearby." Toadette sighed. "But the one that travels further is still some distance ahead, yes."
"Superb."
Footsteps followed behind me as I continued, and my shoulders lowered a bit. However, I tightened back up as Luigi walked alongside me.
"I think you owe Yoshi some gratitude," he muttered to me.
"Oh, right, of course." His eyes widened while mine lowered. "Right after I get over you three lying to me."
"Seriously?" Luigi pinched his brow. "Peach, I thought we were putting this past us—"
"Cooperation is one thing, and I'm still doing that—"
"Barely."
"That's enough."
"Come off it," he snapped. "Out of everyone, Yoshi is the last to be angry at. Sure, he and Birdo didn't tell you, but because I asked them not to." He pressed his lips together for a moment. "Come to think of it, Birdo did tell you."
"Yet that's still not the point."
"So what is—?"
"Back off, Luigi."
Blinking, we both twisted our heads back. Pauline tugged Luigi's shoulder back, and he gazed at her, taken aback. Narrowing her eyes just slightly to him, he nodded and gradually trailed behind me again.
Glancing back at her, she smiled to me, and I slowly turned back to facing forward. Daisy and Toadette were back in tow with me.
"Princess Peach, please." I closed my eyes and exhaled before I turned my attention to Toadette. "Are you really ok? You're not doing well, with those tremors—"
"You have nothing to worry about, Toadette."
"Please don't brush me off like that." My shoulders dropped, and I was vulnerable to her. "Princess, your posture is usually brimming with confidence—"
"Not so much lately."
"Even still, it hasn't been this bad before."
"Probably because she's overexerting her powers," pointed out Daisy. I glared at her, to which she rolled her eyes. "Did you seriously expect me not to notice?"
"Wait, I don't understand."
"Don't worry—"
"Oh no, you don't get to have us pulled away like Luigi was." Daisy turned back and blinked at him. "Who…seems pretty comfortable chattering to Yoshi?"
Glancing back again, I spied Luigi as he placed his hand on Yoshi's shoulder. I couldn't make out what they were talking about, but Birdo quickly tugged Yoshi away from Luigi. Shrugging, I turned back around.
"They've been kind of close the whole journey, keeping secrets from me."
"Well, yeah, but they seem…" Daisy shook her head. "We're getting off topic here. You're still using your powers too much."
"Can you tell me when I shouldn't use them?" I drummed my fingers along the back of my elbow, which still shook a bit. "Because I've noticed that we've been getting along quickly because of them, and not that time is of the essence for my Toads or Mario, but it seems more efficient in securing my fortresses."
"Up until now."
"If we get aboard that ship in record time, we'll save this one."
"I meant your powers, again."
"What?"
"Seriously, Peach?" Daisy's frown fell still, and her eyebrows lowered. "You think folding your arms makes the tremors disappear? You think that clearing an obstacle means that we can't see your powers fall apart?"
"Fine, so I'm slipping up a bit," I relented. "What's your point?"
"We're worried, Princess Peach!" Toadette tugged down on my legs. "You've run yourself ragged enough over stopping Bowser, but now you're going all out for the Toads."
"Toadette, you want me to save them."
"Not at the cost of your own wellbeing!" She grasped at her braids and yanked on them. "Princess, I'm really, really scared for the other Toads, but they don't take precedence over you!"
"They should."
"What?!"
"My people mean everything to me," I admitted. "My wellbeing is a small sacrifice to keep this kingdom protected." Dropping my arms, I allowed them to shake once more. "A ruler is nothing if her people are not safe under her watch. She should be so willing to put her life on the line." Lowering my head, I gazed long and hard at my Royal Scepter. "Most of the time, I don't get the chance to do that. But, now, fighting Bowser's forces, that's allowing me to make up for my failures."
"Princess, you've never failed." Toadette patted my legs as we continued walking. "You've been stronger than anyone, keeping yourself together from Bowser's constant kidnappings. And even after, you go right back to ruling with such grace, and such kindness."
"It's what I owe the people of my kingdom."
"That's exactly what makes you strong, Princess Peach." Toadette grabbed my hand and held it as we continued. "That's why so many Toads look up to you. Because even in the face of adversity, you keep it altogether."
"Yet now I'm failing." I shook my head. "I need to get those Toads back."
"You're missing her point, Peach—"
"Honestly, I really appreciate the two of you trying to help me, and you've both been super loyal to me this whole time." I heaved and clutched at my chest. "But we're not going to get anywhere with this. I'm not resting until I ensure the safe return of my Toads." Up the walkway, I spotted a hall of doors ahead. "Which room has the Warp Pipe, Toadette?"
"Um…I think it's the third one down, but let me scout ahead to check."
She ambled on to the doors to peek inside, as I turned to Daisy. She smiled to me and rested her hand on my shoulder, but I frowned, and turned my attention to the cavern walls of the temple fortress. Some shattered statues and pots, but others were intact.
"Peach, what is it?"
"These walls, the ceiling…" I spun in place, checking the temple around me once more. "Everything stopped crumbling."
"Do you think Bowser's forces gave up?"
"Years have taught me that Bowser and his Koopa Troop are relentless."
"Then…what gives?"
"No idea, but we'll need to use this to our advantage."
"Here, in here, Princess Peach!"
Pivoting back to the doors, Daisy and I hurried over to Toadette, standing in the doorway to the first Warp Pipe. The others followed as we went inside, wasting little time scrambling into the pipe.
[Meanwhile]
On the Airship's deck, Ludwig folded his arms, surveying his forces as they marched with crates back and forth. They shouted and hurried from cannon to cannon, scrambling to continue their work.
"Ludwig, what the hell is going on?!"
Sighing, the dark blue haired Koopaling turned to face his other four brothers, recently arriving to the deck. Larry and Wendy returned to Ludwig's side soon after. Roy, with tightened fists, scowled at his eldest brother. Behind him stood his brothers, with Morton matching Roy's glares.
"Exactly what we've planned on." Ludwig smirked and glanced to the mountain behind him. "Peach and her friends fall here, once and for all—"
"You just launched an attack against them?!" Roy slammed a fist into his palm. "Are you crazy?! We could've come up with anything to stop them, not just tossing an attack right at their faces!"
"Exactly what were you planning on when we decided to go after them?" Ludwig returned his attention to Roy and shook his head. "What, did you want to try a sneak attack against them?"
"This goes back to what I yelled at you over before, Ludwig," complained Morton. "You're still throwing us right into the fire without even thinking this through. What's the point of any kind of assault if we're not absolute in our conviction, in our efforts to stop Peach?"
"And yet, neither of you are listening to me." He dug his claw through his hair, and growled. "Just how strong can Peach be, if she's properly exhausted from prior confrontations and challenges? On top of that, she's supposed to be the leader of her team now; if she can't get everyone to cooperate under her orders, they'll easily fall apart before they can even get out of that crumbling fortress."
"It…doesn't look like it's tumbling down yet," noted Lemmy as he gazed at the temple from the Airship. "I can see that it kind of looks damaged, but you don't even have to zoom in to tell that it's still intact."
"For now."
"So, you're looking to exhaust her, or them, and then finish them off aboard this ship?" Iggy adjusted his glasses. "That does sound fairly thought out. And with my back-up strategy, we should have a great advantage over them."
"Thank you, Iggy."
"Look, I don't know about the rest of you, but at least Ludwig has a plan rolling here," pointed out Larry. "You're complaining that it's not a good one, or thinking of ways that it could fail, but what other choices do we have? Facing Peach head on will get us annihilated, and we don't have the ammunition to try blasting her from the face of the Mountains either."
"It's true," concurred Wendy. "The troops are reloading after the first wave already, but we can't use everything we have now, or we'll be totally defenseless when they finally do board the ship."
"So, we've resigned ourselves to the fact that they are boarding," muttered Morton. "And exactly what are we doing to counter this?"
"We raised a shield."
"What, just between you, Ludwig, and Wendy?"
"It stopped her attack."
"Once. It stopped her attack once." Morton shook his head. "Ludwig—"
"Yes, go on," snapped Ludwig. "What else would you like to criticize here?"
"Tell me: what troops are inside of the fortress?"
"Nothing terribly worthwhile—"
"All troops are integral to the army!" Roy punched at the railing next to Ludwig, eliciting several cracks on it. "Did you just pick what you decided would be most expendable?!"
"They are expendable."
"If Bowser thought that way, we'd have all died out under Peach's reign years ago."
"He's selfish in his own right."
"But smart about these things!" Roy grasped his head and grumbled. "I'll admit that he can be a little too easygoing with losing Koopas and Goombas, but he doesn't do it for fun!"
"No, I have to side with Ludwig here," stepped in Wendy. "Bowser can set up troops to take a fall and a half for him, when need be."
"His overall purpose is to liberate all of them, though," countered Lemmy.
"As is ours," snapped Larry. "That's why the troops agree to these kinds of conditions, serving Bowser to the end. They're willing to believe that he can finally stop Peach!"
"He hasn't even still," murmured Ludwig. "But following through with this, we can."
"At this point, questioning it doesn't make a difference," reminded Wendy. "We've already attacked. If we pull back now—"
"We won't have to deal with the aggravation of Peach's forces," interrupted Morton.
"But we'll have only delayed her wrath," returned Wendy. "We still have her precious Toads here, remember? If we turn back, she'll only advance her assault on Bowser's Castle."
"Would you really prefer to have the castle itself at risk?" Larry folded his arms. "Especially with, you know, Bowser being completely and totally absent, while his son is totally vulnerable without him there."
Roy and Morton dropped their shoulders, exchanging sullen, overcome faces with one another. Larry smirked, while Ludwig pivoted back to the Mountains.
"Again, troops! Fire all!"
Each of the Koopalings listened to the higher ranked soldiers shout the attack orders as they gazed between one another or at their target. Further arguments were left muffled and silenced under the heavy winds and bursts of cannon fire.
[Peach]
Forced from the Warp Pipe, I launched from the green blurred tube and into the new room. Floating to the ground, I turned and watched as the others jumped or crashed onto the ground nearby. Rumbling cracks rang out from outside, and stones shattered down from the ceiling.
"Let's keep moving."
Pushing the door open, we returned back to the main room, further up from before. I glanced below at the Thwomps, a few stories down from us now, as they slammed on the bridge. Even their thuds and grunts were hard to hear from this high up.
"Trouble ahead!"
Daisy's voice alerted me back to our path, as several Dry Bones soldiers rushed down a ramp at us. They chucked bones through the air, and I jabbed my scepter ahead, zapping the bones away and down the pit of the temple.
Luigi started to rush forward, but I quickly shot a pink ball of ice from my rod. The leading Dry Bones was hit and encased in ice.
"Everyone, get behind me!"
"Peach, we don't need to fight—"
"If we break them apart, they'll just reform," I reminded him. "Just get back already!"
With just a bit of reluctance, Luigi shuffled back behind me. Twirling my Royal Scepter counterclockwise, I swept it back and forth before thrusting it ahead. Its head flickered with a soft blue light, catching fragments of pebbles that rained down.
A spray of frost and ice erupted from the wand, hitting each of the Dry Bones. One pulled its arm back, but was frozen in the middle of its toss. Another two were still hurrying down to us as they were encased. The last managed to turn around from dropping, and froze alongside its allies.
Soreness weighted my arms down and I gasped as they fell. My knees gave out and I dropped to them, barely keeping myself from collapsing entirely.
"Princess!"
Toadette rushed over and helped to hold me. Daisy stepped beside me, placing her hand on my back and waist. Together, they lifted me from the ground again, and I stumbled from the quick rise.
"Told you," muttered Daisy.
My mouth parted slightly to argue, but I could barely breathe. Even with the dimmer lighting from the cavern, the whole fortress seemed too bright.
Tilting my head up a bit, I spotted a green and white blur zip across the air. A loud pop crackled from further up the ramp. Yoshi had tossed an egg at an oncoming opponent. Luigi and Birdo cheered a bit, but I couldn't quite make out the words, if any. Another egg soared by, followed by another pop, and I squeezed my eyes shut.
Just relax…and breathe…focus…come on, Peach…
Opening them again, I took in the sight of another Dry Bones falling apart as two more hurried down from above levels. More stones fell from above us as well. My arm shot up, but the weight of the scepter brought it back down.
"Just ease off, Peach," urged Daisy.
"One's breaking from the ice!"
The girls helped me turn as Yoshi backed up a bit from two of the Dry Bones that broke loose from my ice spells. Luigi hurried ahead and pulled him back further.
"Now what?"
Someone screamed, as red and black whipped past me. Pauline, clutching some kind of staff, ran ahead and whacked the two freed Dry Bones from the platform entirely, sending their bones raining down to the abyss below. She spun around, with her brown hair flipping past her panicked, wide-eyed face.
"Can we please keep going, before the rest of them come back to life?!"
She waited a moment as Luigi, Yoshi, and Birdo hurried ahead to her. The four continued our ascension, as Toadette and Daisy heaved me after them.
"L-let go," I managed between my heavy breaths. "I…I can do this…"
"No, Princess, just let us," insisted Toadette. "Rest a moment, or you'll collapse again."
"But—"
"Enough," intervened Daisy. "Quit arguing and just let us do this for you!"
Even still, I wanted to keep going, afraid of holding my two closest friends back. But as I barely nodded, my head lowered and my vision failed. My body gave out on me as I went limp, and my hair dropping over my eyes was the last bit that I managed to spot clearly.
Shouting persisted as we carried on. Cracking. Crumbling. My friends lugged me onward, that much I could tell. Muffled grunts and thuds were about the most that I could hear. Brown blurs of the floor passed by, sometimes slowed, but even then, I still couldn't tell when I was moving or when we had stopped.
Sometimes, I just shut my eyes, and I waited to fall unconscious. But screaming and shouting rang out, however little I could hear them, and it kept me awake, if just barely. Crunches of debris and shattering stones ensured me to stay up as well.
After a bit, something green and white rolled into my sight, and I panicked. Though I wanted to squirm and help him up, Toadette kicked it away, and I realized it was neither Luigi nor Yoshi.
"…Need to hand her off…" That was Daisy's voice.
"…Sure?" Toadette's was next.
"We have to."
"Go, I've got her." Pauline.
They passed my body around, and Pauline held me up as she dragged me from the main cavern and into another room.
"Come on, Princess," I made out, as she pulled me over to a wall. Green. No, we were already at the next Warp Pipe. "Hold on."
She pressed something to my lips, and I waited a moment. Pauline tilted my head back a bit, and I watched as my hair fell away, as my mouth parted a bit more. Cool liquid, water, filled my mouth. I choked a bit as it went down, and coughed from it hitting my throat.
"Sorry, sorry!"
Rubbing my face with my arm, I focused again and spotted Pauline clutching a canteen. Snatching it, I guzzled water from it and let it pour down my throat once more. This time it was smoother, refreshing, and revitalized me a bit.
"Ok, that's good," determined Pauline. "Uh, I haven't really needed that much anyway, so if you need to finish it, go ahead."
"It's fine." I brushed some from my lips and passed her back the canteen, with a swish of the water still inside. At least half full, I wasn't going to rob her of the rest.
"Uh, sure. Well, if you need any more, just let me know."
Blinking, I tried to focus my vision again. Rumbling and blasts rang out past the temple walls, and I listened to some idols fall over and break. Still, it was just us in here.
"Where are the others?"
"Securing outside, waiting to knock off the rest of the Dry Bones." She brushed back some locks of her brunette hair, and I met her gaze for a moment. "You sure that you're ok?"
"Yes. Just help me up and let's get back out there."
"Um, not yet."
"Why not?"
"Daisy and Toadette told me that they'd keep the others outside for a bit," admitted Pauline. "I'm supposed to be searching to make sure that we found the second Warp Pipe."
"…I don't follow…"
"They're letting me talk with you, help you out with what we're currently facing."
"Oh."
"And to talk you into not overdoing it, not being so mistrusting, etcetera—"
"Wait, what?"
"Mistrusting." She scratched behind her head. "Uh, you know, with…everyone."
"Right," I snapped, and forced myself up, pushing away from the wall. I trudged past her, back to the door. "That's not happening."
"Please Peach," begged Pauline. "There are some things that you just have to let go."
"This is war!" I spun around and glared at her, surprised that she didn't even flinch. "I can't afford to let anything go!"
"Not the bigger things, no," relented Pauline. "But your issues with your own allies? With Birdo, Yoshi, and Luigi, of all people?"
"Oh, don't treat him like he's some kind of saint." I rolled my eyes. "If there's one thing that Luigi's biggest cheerleaders get wrong, it's that he's some kind of innocent, fragile little man that needs protecting. He's not. He's tough, and he can handle himself in the worst situations."
"True, but we're getting off topic here." She shook her head. "I know what it feels like, to feel so betrayed. Obviously not to your high stakes level, and I'm not trying to compare myself to what you go through."
"Then what—?"
"Because of Mario, actually," admitted Pauline. "After we went our separate ways, I didn't want to talk with him for years, honestly."
"Why? Weren't you the one to break up with him?" I tightened my fists and scowled. "What, did he lie to me about that too?!"
"What? No!" She shook her head again, wildly this time. "That was all me, I broke up with him. I…I couldn't handle where life was going with us for that. After all, a giant ape kidnapped me, and then he went on to discover this place where giant turtles would attack him?" She laughed a bit sharply. "There was no chance I wanted to be part of that, not a few years back."
"So?"
"Thing is, I wanted Mario to change for me, not with me." Pauline folded her arms and frowned, more than before. "I wanted him to come back for me, to tell me I was right, and for me to mean more to him than anything else in his life." She sighed. "To me, him leaving and not coming back, accepting our relationship had ended…that bothered me far more than it did him, in the long run."
"You felt betrayed because he didn't meet the expectations you envisioned for him," I summarized.
"Yes, in short." Pauline brushed a hand through her wavy brown hair. "Look, I could further this analogy between my situation and yours, which wasn't meant to compare, though that's exactly where it went, but I digress." She clasped her hands together, and pleaded to me. "Peach, I know you feel totally betrayed by your closest friends, and I know it's hard for you to rely on those you can't completely trust, but they've gone this far with you. Not with Mario, but with you." I bit my lip and she smiled a little. "They're on your side, whether you believe it or not, because if they weren't, they would have bailed a while ago. Sure, your goals might not line up exactly to one another's, but they line up enough for everyone to still stand by you, even when you're at your harshest, even when you guys are clashing."
Pauline placed her left hand on my shoulder, and tilted my face to hers with her right. I gazed quietly into her pale blue eyes, and its softness made me envious, contrasting my sharper blues.
"Also, this whole fortress is literally crumbling," added Pauline with a straight, smiling face, "so like it or not, we really all need to work together in any and every way possible."
"Uh…when you put it like that, of course." She certainly knew how to land a convincing argument.
"Good. I'm going to open the door, then." Pauline started towards it, but stopped and glanced back to me. "You ready?"
"We don't exactly have the time for that."
"All the same, just keep it together, and work with the others."
"Right, I've got it." She walked over again. "Pauline?" She turned back and I forced a smile. "Um…thank you."
"My pleasure, Princess Peach." She pushed the door back open. "Guys, we found the pipe! It's this way!"
The others poured in after Pauline as they shuffled into the room. Toadette hurried over to me and clamped around me, as I patted her head. She glanced up to me, and I smiled down to her. It was genuine, as I nodded to give her reassurance.
"Good to see you up again!" Daisy patted my shoulder and grinned. "So, ready to keep climbing?"
"We shouldn't have much further after this," revealed Toadette.
"Really?" Birdo tilted her head. "But, before, you made it seem like—"
"Well, there is some platforms to jump up and across," detailed Toadette. "And…the main chamber before the apex itself."
"Huh?"
"A room for a boss," realized Luigi.
"Yeah."
"Oh. Super." Birdo shook her head. "Who designs a room for a giant monster to attack us with, anyway?"
"Bowser modifies certain rooms at times," I explained. "…Other times, we have them for other purposes ourselves, such as council rooms or ballrooms even."
"Well, we'll get some kind of dance out of this, but not the fun one," quipped Birdo, more annoyed than humored.
"And, um, there's one more thing I should mention," added Toadette as Luigi jumped up, onto the Warp Pipe.
"What's that?"
"This one is a lot faster than the other one with transportation, so—"
"How fast?"
Luigi stumbled back and fell into the pipe, screaming as he rocketed through it. Yoshi leapt up to the pipe's rim and glanced back with widened eyes.
"Um…very."
Diving after him, Yoshi disappeared. Birdo scoffed and helped Pauline up before following the two. Daisy and I lifted Toadette, and she waited at the edge as we climbed up.
"Ready to go?"
"Princess?"
"Yes, I believe so." I nodded to them. "I'm counting on you two the most, but Pauline raised some…fair points."
"Great, that's what we were hoping for," disclosed Daisy. "After all, she seems good at those talks that, I don't know, ease things out." She shrugged. "Luigi seemed better with her around, anyway."
"Quite." I nodded once more. "Ok, let's go."
Leading, I jumped in first, and was pulled into a rush through the Warp Pipe. Shutting my eyes, my body jerked around with a few turns and spirals.
Firing out of its connected pipe, I floated in the air a moment. Toadette rocketed out next, and I grabbed her as we crashed back down. Right after, Daisy launched out last, and crashed on top of Luigi and Yoshi.
"Aw yeah! Perfect landing!"
"Yeah…no," managed Luigi.
"Oh. So that's why it was soft."
Daisy laughed and bounced up from the two. Yoshi picked himself up first, shook his head, and reached down to Luigi. He hesitated, and seemed to pull his hand back a bit, but Luigi grasped it. Smiling, he pulled the plumber back up.
Birdo roughly cleared her throat, and we turned to her and Pauline walking back over.
"We peeked outside." Pauline jabbed back to the door with her thumb. "Lots of platforms for jumping up. And falling from, I'd imagine. Uh…I'll see you guys at the top, I guess?"
"Hang on, I can carry you," offered Yoshi, as he pulled away from Luigi.
"No, that's ok—"
"Please, I insist." He smiled. "You're lighter than other loads I've carried before."
"Hey," cut in Luigi, "what's that supposed to mean?"
"It means that you're not that much lighter than Mario after all," teased Daisy, and earned a few laughs.
"Everyone," I started up and they quieted down. "I…well, you all know my powers are failing—"
"Because you're overdoing it," interrupted Daisy.
"Well…yes." I brushed my hair back. "Anyway, I…honestly, I hate asking for favors. But, I'm going to count on you to help us reach the top of the spire." I met Birdo's eyes, then Yoshi's, and finally Luigi's. "All of you. …Please."
"We're already doing that," pointed out Birdo. "You passed out for half the trip up, remember?"
"Right, but…I still need to rely on you." I quietly exhaled through my nose and glanced down at the Royal Scepter. "If I keep going, that will only make more work for you all. So…if you could—"
"Don't worry about it, Peach." Luigi folded his arms. "We're used to protecting you."
"That's what I hate."
"Bad luck that you're a princess, then," joked Daisy. "The more you're responsible for, the more people have to watch out for you."
"Guess we'll have to push both of you back," mocked Toadette.
"Hey!" Daisy pounded her fists together. "I can still fight!"
"Regardless, it's better if we take lead going forward," insisted Luigi. "We don't know what else is ahead, so if it's just the Dry Bones remaining, we can just power through them."
"There probably won't be that many ahead, so it's mostly just jumping," decided Toadette.
"Even better."
"So, platforms, maybe some Dry Bones, and whatever else they left us." Luigi nodded, but paused for a moment as the room shook and stones crashed from the ceiling once again. "Better make this quick. Let's go!"
With that, we hurried forward, up another ramp that led to the cliffs of the cavern. Luigi jumped up to take the lead, as Birdo scooped up Toadette to follow. Pauline climbed aboard Yoshi as he fluttered up, and Daisy nodded to me before we leapt up after them.
Vaulting from one platform to the next, Luigi quickly gained a lead, and I watched as he knocked a Dry Bones guard down from a cliff above. Yoshi hovered past Birdo, and jumped again to chase Luigi.
"Keep up, Birdo!"
"Darling, you make chasing so much fun."
She and Toadette giggled as they bounced up the edges, after Yoshi and Pauline. I floated across from my next jump, reaching another platform. I waited for Daisy, who jumped up, but nearly missed the cliff.
Grasping at her arms, I pulled her up, but faltered myself. Luigi dropped down from above and helped us back to the platform.
"Thank you."
"You're both welcome."
He smiled and we continued our ascension, racing after the others. Birdo fired an egg from her snout, and we watched another pile of Dry Bones rain down. Along with it came stalactites, which forced us to jump away from one cliff to the next.
"Almost there," called Pauline. "We can do this, everyone!"
Another pop rang out, as a few bones dripped down from above. We looked up as Yoshi punted a skull from the platform.
"Wow." Daisy nervously chuckled. "That…that one might not come back!"
"Doubt it," noted Luigi. "They're strung together by magic."
"Climb faster," I urged.
They followed me as I jumped up to the next cliff. We jumped a bit more before we finally reached the top of it. I glanced down and stumbled back, not needing a full view of our height from the ground below.
"Finally," mocked Birdo. "We've been waiting forever on you three."
"Princesses move at a dignified pace," I teased. Everyone stared at me for a moment. "Um…that was a joke."
"Yeah, and it's been a while since you've told one," pointed out Yoshi.
Shrugging, I stepped forward, and stared up at the indigo studded door before us. Nodding to the others, we pushed it open and walked inside, as the doors slammed shut behind us.
The hall ahead led upwards still, and as we charged forward, we lagged, as it pressed onward. Slowing, we dropped to a moderate pace, strolling up and into the main chamber ahead.
It was a circular room within, and I looked around, noticing that most of the statues and pottery had been shattered here as well.
"Ok, so—"
"FINALLY!"
Bursting from the ground in the center of the room, a massive gray stone leapt out and crashed down, as we stumbled back and fell over. Glancing up, I stared at the angry glare and gaps between the teeth of its angry mouth.
"It's a Whomp!"
"That's right, Whomp!" He grumbled and stomped forward at us. "You runts have tried walking all over us for years now—and we're sick of it!"
"Here we go." I sighed. "Another Whomp with some long winded speech about how people step onto his kind, give him no credit, and—"
"Ha!" I paused as he stomped down again. "Whomps are definitely treated like the dirt beneath your feet, but I was referring to the Koopa Kingdom collectively!"
"Oh. So a tirade about how I'm oppressive instead." I yawned. "Please, do go on."
"W-what?!"
"This is probably some other speech about how my reign has imprisoned and oppressed whoever serves under Bowser, and you'll droll on about how I've treated you all so terribly for years now—"
"If you understand," thundered the Whomp, "why haven't you changed anything?!"
"No, you misapprehend my comprehension." I stood up and dusted off. "What I know is that this war has been on and off since before I was even a thought in either of my parents' minds. As for the details on it, I'm not familiar with. I followed their footsteps without fully understanding."
"You lie!"
"Exactly what do you even know?" I stepped forward, tightened grip on my rod, as I glanced back and nodded to a rising Daisy. "What has Bowser fed you on any recent matters?"
"He's trying to stop you, same as always," rumbled Whomp. "He's trying to secure equality for us all, and he's sick of you treating us like monsters!"
"So, what do you know of on Bowser's developments with Mario?"
"He's taken your usual place, little princess."
"Is that all?" I shook my head and whipped my hair back. "You're even lower on the chain of command than I imagined."
"Huh? Explain yourself!"
Crumbling sounded again, but it came from above. I glanced around, as the others rose and crept into places around Whomp, who remained focused on me.
"While I would delight myself in such, I can't." I pointed up at the ceiling. "This fortress is falling apart, because of your allies."
"More deception?!"
"No, because the truth is that Bowser's Airship bombards this temple as we speak."
"What?!"
"Your own army has betrayed you," I enlightened him. "They leave you here to fall with the fortress." I extended my free hand for him. "Come with us. I can't promise that I can make immediate amends, but I can help you."
"As if I would trust the words of a liar," snapped Whomp. "Even if Bowser desires this place to fall, I shall crumble with it, with dignity." He stomped again. "I will not allow you to deceive me!"
"Please," I tried, not outright pleading, but imploring him to see reason. "I'm not the one that started this war."
"No, but you've continued it."
Stones and dust rained down from overhead. I shook my head and lowered my shoulders.
"Last time: surrender now, or we will be forced to fight."
"Go ahead. I refuse to give in."
"As you wish." I inhaled and slowly breathed out, softening my expression as my eyes met his glowing red ones. "Please know that in spite of what is to come, I am sorry."
"Not yet, you're not!"
"You leave us no choice." I lowered my free hand and pointed ahead with my scepter. "Everyone, attack."
He roared as Daisy flew forward, her hands encased in crystals as she smashed him back. The Whomp stumbled, and Daisy hurried around him again, bashing him forward to the ground.
Luigi, Yoshi, and Birdo leapt on top of the Whomp, and ground pounded him in succession. He rumbled and forced himself up again, throwing the three of them off once again.
"Runts! You won't pummel this Whomp so easily!"
He dove at them, slamming down again. I shook my head, as Pauline and Toadette huddled close to me.
"Uh, he's…not very bright, is he?" Pauline brushed her hair back as she watched Luigi, Birdo, and Yoshi charge to ground pound him again.
"They're not known for much intelligence," I reminded. "Neither their kind, nor their Thwomp cousins, are particularly brainy."
Another roar erupted from the Whomp and he slammed down against the floor again. Stalactites broke from above and dropped down.
Whipping my wand in a small circle and casting it out, I threw up smaller shields over my allies, with a pink light opening over them. Each shattered after taking hits from the falling stones, but my friends were protected.
"Miserable worms!" Whomp stomped again. "I'll crush you all!"
"Unfortunately," I argued, "you're not even our main threat." My scepter rested on Toadette's back. She glanced back and smirked to me, as I nodded. "We have more important matters to attend to."
Once more, Daisy rushed in and slammed her crystallized fist against the Whomp, knocking it on its back again.
Toadette gasped as a bright pink light enveloped her, gaining strength from my Royal Scepter's power. Racing forward with more speed than ever before, she leapt into the air, and ground pounded down over the Whomp's back.
Wailing out, the Whomp pounded his fist against the floor. He gasped and crashed as he slammed around, but failed to rise again.
"Leave him," I called to the other four. "He'll crumble with the rest of the rubble."
"Peach—"
"Thank you, for your efforts."
I forced a smile to Luigi and the others as I strode past them, and to the door at the other end of the room. Opening it, I waited a moment as I heard the footsteps of the others chase after me.
They followed my footsteps, in spite of understanding.
Entering the last room, we climbed the ladder that waited for us. Blasts still crashed against the fortress, forcing us to grab onto the railings, but it didn't matter, and we would continue to climb again.
Reaching the zenith, I walked outside of it and back to the mountain's very peak itself. The others followed, and I looked out, over the clouds and the mountains, and to the greater kingdom in the distance.
"Maybe I have been wrong, am wrong," I announced. "There must be truth to what so many of Bowser's forces believe in." I turned my head to the others, as they lined up past me and waited. "But I didn't start the war we face now. All I can do is end it the familiar way that I know how."
I exhaled and turned back, facing the Airship as it rose up to meet us. There were no cannons at the moment, perhaps as they were reloading. But perhaps not; they planned it all, and they wanted this.
"Truthfully, I understand that I haven't fixed things between even us," I admitted, to Luigi and the others in particular. "We've hurt one another, and we're still far from forgiveness. And…maybe, some day, we can get there." I sighed and dropped my shoulders. "But right now, my Toads are in danger. Right now, my people, the people that I do know are innocent…they need me. They need us." I glanced back at my friends once more. "Can I count on you all, once again, to carry forward? In spite of everything?"
Without hesitation, they exchanged expressions before nodding to me. No words, just conviction. I smiled.
"Good." I raised my Royal Scepter again. "Then, let's end this."
Crashing sounded from the skies again. Yoshi and Birdo fired out eggs, pelting the shield around the Airship. Daisy punched up rocks and threw them against it as well. The magical shield around the floating vessel wavered.
Pink lightning dropped from the clouds above and shattered the Airship's shield. It broke apart like glass, as the fragments of lights and hexes disappeared from the air. Bullet Bills rocketed out, firing toward us, but it wouldn't matter, even as the fortress would fall.
Circling my wand around again, I whipped it toward my friends, as a golden light surrounded us. Jabbing the scepter forward, we soared across the sky, over the bullets, and went sailing over to the Airship.
[Meanwhile]
Lemmy waved from outside the door to a lowered deck. Iggy chuckled and crept down the stairs, tracing over a remote in his hand.
"Good news, little Toads." The green haired Koopaling cackled. "Your princess has come to finally rescue you! Are you ready to be reunited?"
"You…you won't get away with this!"
The Toads shuddered under cages in the darker corner of the ship. They watched as Iggy sauntered over to them.
"Don't you get it? We already have!" He pressed a button on the remote, and beeping sounded from over the cages. "Now, come, and witness the final stand of Princess Peach!"
Manic laughter sounded from the lowered deck, as Iggy turned back to leave and meet his siblings elsewhere. The cages themselves rattled, following the Koopaling, as the Toads cried out into the quiet air.
...
Creepy cliffhangers are always fun to have back. …Not that cryptic, you claim? Bah, fine, whatever then.
Well, let me not take too long on these notes; I know they can be tiresome, especially after a chapter. The Koopalings had some more depth added in their asides for this chapter, which was good, since they needed more of that. They're a bit…divided on their approaches to the situation at hand, which may be less under their control as they believe to be.
Speaking of control, Peach kind of relinquished a bit of hers, after being very drained from her overuse of magic. She's sick of being the helpless one, so it's hard for her to remember that she does have help when she really needs it. Luckily, she has friends that talk some sense into her. And, finally, she's at least trying to meet Luigi and the others half way. Not there yet, but a good start. Perhaps, just maybe, they're becoming a little more cohesive again.
A good number of new enemies were introduced this time, too! Thwomps haven't appeared until now, and I was happy to finally use them. Bullet Bills as well, which I knew that I had to wait on including. Dry Bones aren't quite new, but it was good going back to them. Whomp wasn't really meant to be the typical boss for the chapter, since that role goes more to the Koopalings, but they certainly wouldn't have left the final room unguarded, and it kept up with the trend of having a fortress boss around.
Oh, but I can't forget, THANK YOU ALL ONCE AGAIN! Recently, this fanfic has bested any others that feature the pairing between Bowser and Mario (you know, like, all four of them), has reached over 100 Favorites (now in the Top 25) and 100 Followers (Top 6), passed 50,000 views, and continues to surface higher on the archive searches for top stories, based on selected filters. It's really exciting that this story continues to grow and reach out, and I hope it will be one of the top tier fanfics for the Mario archive! Again, thank you to all my readers!
Even as we continue to stand out, however, feedback is super helpful to standing out more. It helps with that, as well as helping with my writing abilities, and it's just really great to hear from you guys as well, so I do hope that you'll continue to provide me with feedback! Comments, criticisms, and questions are all welcomed, from reviews (another website filter) or messages (on here or Tumblr). Again, I hope to hear back!
That's it for this chapter for now. Next chapter will feature the climax between Peach's clash with the Koopalings, and the conclusion of this arc. Bowser and Mario are still absent, but that's ok, since that gives them time to kiss on the sidelines. Again, thank you for your continued patience, all your support, and for reading this story so far! More will come, so look forward to it!