RECAP:
Bowser Jr. prevailed in his lone confrontation against Midbus. But his victory was short-lived as his adversary's trump card had been activated. In a swirl of confusion, Midbus's physical body vanished; his very soul taking control of Daisy's palace. At the same time, an ominous power was awakened within Peach, and the others were freed from their ice prisons in the chaos as well. Together, Junior and his friends faced Midbus in his sinister final form and triumphed after a grueling battle.
At long last, Sarasaland's eternal winter had come to an end. Midbus vanished into thin air, but not before disclosing that the source of his power was a mysterious red substance called "Essence," which the beast was using to protect someone important.
Professor Kolorado revealed the reason behind him leading the perilous expedition into Sarasaland was to avoid having to return home and being forced to grieve for his deceased wife. Goombella, Kooper, and Daisy decided to accompany Junior's team on their journey back to the Mushroom Kingdom, where they would begin planning the next step in their grand fight against Contemno's tyranny. But not before Junior's paint brush emitted a beam of light and blanketed the desert kingdom in a radiant veil of magic.
Meanwhile, Tatanga and Contemno learned of Midbus's passing from Bastierge. Despite Tatanga's warnings of Junior's growing strength, his superior seemed unfazed by the recent developments; Contemno hinting that the second phase of his grand plan was about to begin.
Eris was insulted to learn of Contemno's return so late. And if what she heard was true, he'd apparently brought someone new into the fold.
Why hadn't he sought her out? Why didn't he tell her any of this? Why was he avoiding her all of a sudden?
She couldn't let this stand. Her fury came to a boil, and she was ready to unleash all of it at the first sight of him. She'd received word of where in the base Contemno was last spotted and hurried there as quickly as possible.
But in spite of her rage, Eris still couldn't outrun the doubt that was shadowing her. Would her anger hold form when she saw Contemno again? Was she ready to go beyond words with him this time?
Eris tenderly brushed her bruised cheek with the tips of her fingers. He'd already proven he was willing to do that, after all. And what manifested beyond words was violence, it seemed. Contemno was willing to resort to physical abuse with her. The question was, could she match it this time?
Sadly, this was a side to Contemno that Eris was already familiar with. Their last exchange wasn't the first time he'd hit her, and unless the tides changed in his favor soon, it most likely wouldn't be the last.
But she couldn't not face him. If she hesitated now, then she'd just drown in the guilt of wondering if she could've been strong enough to get through to him this time; if her frustrations would've finally reached him now without retaliation.
No. She had to do this. There was no other choice.
Eris stopped outside the door, took a deep breath, and stormed inside.
"I need to talk to you," she said upon entering; not waiting for her arrival to be acknowledged.
Contemno and a strange old man were meditating at the opposite end of the otherwise empty chamber. Although, they didn't seem to be too invested in it as Contemno twitched slightly at the sound of Eris's voice.
"It is improper to disrupt someone's meditation, Eris," Contemno replied calmly.
This was it.
Where to start? She couldn't play her hand so soon. She had to act natural until she could gauge Contemno's current temperament. No point in pushing him over the edge if he was currently teetering on it. Searching her mind, Eris found words that were satisfactory enough to open with.
"I don't see how you can have time to sit around meditating, given the state of affairs around here," she shot back in restrained passive-aggression.
"What's got you so upset, my dear?" Shaken by his soft retort, Eris took a deep breath to regain her composure. He wouldn't trip her up just yet.
"Last time we were all together, you told us Mario, Peach, Bowser and his kid were all just loose ends you would tie up," Eris recounted slowly. "But so far, you've done none of that. Mario and Bowser got away, and now I've heard through the grape vine that Peach and Junior actually managed to take out Midbus. Meanwhile, Tatanga shows up here a bloody mess out of the blue."
"I'm well aware of recent events," Contemno replied. "But you're mistaken. Mario and Bowser are currently prisoners of my heart kingdom with no means of escape. It is true that Midbus fell at the hands of Prince Junior and Princess Peach. However, that isn't very concerning. You knew as well as I did just how disposable he was. We even agreed it was best to have him eliminated at this point, which is why we sent Tatanga to Sarasaland to take care of it. The injuries he has sustained are from his own carelessness, no doubt. He has a tendency to act without thinking, and speak before acting. So it's no surprise his reckless behavior has caught up to him for once."
Eris was stunned at how meticulously he dismantled her complaints just now without effort. Almost as if he'd planned that response in advance. And he was completely calm throughout its delivery.
But why? Why wasn't he worried?
"Why don't you tell me what's really bothering you, Eris?" As expected, she was up to bat again. But luckily, she found herself ready this time; her courage finding its footing miraculously.
"You might think word doesn't spread around here, but it does. The others know, and they're starting to get worried. Just how strong is Junior? They've been hearing about him and the trouble he's starting to stir up. Tatanga being harmer the way he was seemed unthinkable not long ago. So it must've been someone noteworthy to be capable of pulling it off. If Junior's really the one who put Tatanga in such bad shape, who will be next? And what exactly are you going to do about it? These are all valid questions, you know. Our followers are starting to get concerned, and it's all justified. When are you going to start acting like our leader and do something about all of this hysteria that's growing?"
Contemno stood up, approached her slowly, and raised one gloved hand.
"I thought I already gave you a demonstration of what happens when you question me," said Contemno in a low voice.
"I'm not questioning you," she denied quickly, wincing in response. The woman sucked in the air with her teeth and folded her arms quickly to strangle the fear taking shape in the pit of her stomach. "I just…want to make sure our future is safe, is all."
A reasonable enough recovery, but where was she supposed to go from here?
Was it already too late? Had he seen her true feelings just now? Digging deep, Eris attempted to reignite the flames of her frustration, but her rage was now a paltry fraction of what is was moments ago on her journey here. Standing before him now was different than plotting to hurt him from a distance. Her nerves were getting the better of her.
Eris couldn't deny it. She was losing her vengeful drive. The truth of her fear was written all over her pale face. There was no doubt that Contemno could see it. But what would he do with it?
Resorting to anger only brought out Contemno's violent side. She knew that, and no matter how upset she was, Eris simply wouldn't be foolish enough to make the same mistake twice.
In acceptance of this truth, Eris managed to achieve mental clarity right on the spot. Without rehearsal, she aimed to try a different approach. But she had to wait her turn. What card was he going to play?
"Is that so?" Contemno asked, lowering his hand. A clear enough sign. Eris immediately began hastily crafting her next response. She had an idea of which avenue to take. She dared to venture a guess he was in the right mood to indulge in it.
Eris took this as a good sign and stepped in closer towards Contemno; massaging his shoulders with each of her precise, calculating fingers.
"Of course. But you know, the worst of it is that I've been feeling awfully lonely lately. I feel like you aren't telling me anything anymore." Eris knelt down and stared into the empty eye sockets of Contemno's mask. "Why must you shut me out, Kitsune?" she finished softly.
Contemno fell silent for a moment, as if he too needed to choose his next response carefully.
"Truthfully, we haven't been intimate as of late, have we?" Contemno noted. Eris's eyelids narrowed, and her red lips curved into a deductive smile; a ruby dagger that always seemed to pierce right through his cold exterior.
"No, we haven't. I miss us," said Eris somberly. Contemno took her hands in his own, and the two laced their fingers together.
"I apologize for that."
Eris was shocked, but managed to keep it from showing as her expression didn't change.
"I admit, I haven't been myself lately," Contemno continued. "I went astray. But you mustn't worry, my dear. I have returned, and everything is exactly as it should be." Eris raised an eyebrow at this.
"Really?"
"Of course. My mind is focused. Our path is clear to me now." Contemno cranked his head to look at the old man in the red formal attire, who was still meditating on the other side of the room. Eris's eyes followed him and her smile faded as confusion washed over her.
This was her first time seeing that man around here. Of course, this was also her first time seeing Contemno since he'd stormed off in a huff to meditate. She was certain these two facts materializing at the same time could not be coincidence.
Now Eris was certain of it. She wasn't imagining things. Contemno was acting different. Very different. But different wasn't the same thing as stable or sane. It would be foolish to fully drop her guard.
Even so, aside from his threatening comment just a moment ago, he was calm. The calmest he had been since before he began targeting the Mushroom Kingdom. It was as though the Contemno of the past – the man she loved – had returned all of a sudden. Was it okay for her to be relieved by this?
Just what happened to Contemno since she'd last seen him?
Eris eyed the old man from head to toe several times.
"You mean him?" Eris asked. Contemno nodded. "Why? What makes him so special? Who is he?"
"That is Bastierge. He is an old friend and mentor of mine. We go quite a ways back," Contemno explained. Eris folded her arms again and her face scrunched with skepticism.
"'Bastierge?'" she repeated; turning the gears in her mind. "You mean, he's named after one of the Founders?"
"In a manner of speaking, yes," Bastierge affirmed. The rickety old man unfolded his twig legs, staggered to his feet, and meandered over towards Eris eerily like a zombie.
"This is Eris, my pride and joy," Contemno introduced. Bastierge gently took Eris's hand and kissed it cordially.
"The pleasure is all mine, madam." The woman was repulsed by his aged, hideous appearance. But she didn't let it show.
"Why is he here?" Eris asked.
"I sought him out for his wisdom, and he guided me back to the right path," Contemno explained. He took Eris's hands in his own. "I know I frightened you before, my love. But I assure you that everything will be alright now. I understand exactly what needs to be done next."
It wasn't just his tone. This was no act. His heart had shifted slightly. But Eris just couldn't figure out what happened.
"And what's that?"
"I intend to tell everyone of the good word very soon. Everything is going according to plan, and we're just about ready for Phase 2."
The past few days of training had been grueling for Mario and Bowser. Then again, had it actually been a few days at all? They weren't really sure how much time had passed since they first found themselves inside Contemno's heart kingdom. It wasn't possible to tell if time flowed any differently in this realm than the real world.
Nevertheless, Leanna had made sure that not a second of their time here was wasted. She certainly hadn't been kidding when she said her underground training facility below the diner would be their new home.
From the moment Mario had made a full recovery, Leanna immediately put the pair through an arduous training regimen of seemingly endless cycles of squats, push-ups, pull-ups, jumping jacks, and jogging laps around the bunker. Hour after hour, one hypothetical day after another. In the few periods of rest that Leanna begrudgingly permitted, Mario had been consistently drenched in sweat and Bowser had passed out a few times in the beginning.
The Koopa King schemed and resorted to every excuse he could think of to try and get out of training: he was too old, his back hurt, he had bad knees, he was a king and kings didn't need to be in shape, they were wasting time while Contemno was out doing whatever he pleased, or that this had nothing to do with learning magic.
Leanna seemed to have the same answer ready and waiting for Bowser every time: "If you're really in that bad of shape, then you're wasting valuable energy running your mouth and complaining about it. The sooner you shut up and just focus on the task at-hand, the sooner your body will adjust and we can all get out of here."
Mario shared similar fatigued sentiments to Bowser, but he was much less vocal about it. Maybe this was because Leanna's message resonated with him. Or maybe it was because Mario had been mute for so many years that staying silent was simply second nature to him.
Before long, Bowser became too tired to argue or resist any longer, and he plunged deep into training.
Sooner than expected, Mario and Bowser were beginning to notice the results of their hard work. Bowser's aches and pains in his joints and spine dissipated. Their sprinting stamina grew exponentially. Mario was soon able to do upside down pull-ups with ease; his legs arched over a small pipe that was hanging from the bunker's ceiling. Before long, Bowser was able to effortlessly do a dozen one-armed push-ups in under a minute.
Bowser's gray hairs miraculously regained their natural red color. His chest felt lighter than air when before it had been plagued by constant pains that could only be suppressed with heart pills. Their guts vanished, and the beginning signs of wrinkles on their faces were a thing of the past.
Despite being ten years older, the two former adversaries were now in the best physical shape of their lives.
Once Leanna deemed their physical training complete, she transitioned them into mental practice. Mario, Bowser and Leanna began meditating three times a day in hour-long intervals. During these periods, she dimmed the lights and they sat in complete stillness and silence under candlelight. She turned the AC to its heater setting. Before long, the training room turned into a scorching sauna. The trio practiced tai chi and yoga until Mario and Bowser got the forms, stances, and flow just right.
There was simply one thought that pushed them through this arduous training. It wasn't about exacting revenge on Contemno, escaping the heart kingdom, or even using the Kagi symbol. It was simply to push themselves – their minds and their bodies – even harder than the day before.
As quickly as their training began however, it also ended.
When Mario and Bowser descended the staircase into the training room one day, they found Leanna sitting cross-legged in the room's center. Her eyes were shut, and the two assumed she was meditating like normal. They approached with the intent to join her, then stopped when she spoke up.
"No training today, boys," Leanna declared. She opened her eyes and smirked at them. "It's time we start magic training."
"You sure? I could go for one more day of drills," Bowser suggested confidently as he stretched his arm across his chest.
"You're as fit as you're ever gonna be at your age. Trust me," Leanna denied. "We've been down here long enough. It's time to start practicing magic so we can finally get out of here."
"Alright, let's get to it then," Mario agreed with a smile. The woman motioned for Mario and Bowser to take a seat in front of her.
"Now," Leanna started. "Normally, learning magic for the first time involves a ton of studying. And I mean a ton. We're talking dozens of books, facts, formulas, theories, and concepts to memorize. It typically takes years of preparation before you can even think of actually casting any magic the proper way."
Bowser didn't say anything, but he immediately thought of Junior when he heard this. A veil of guilt fell over the Koopa King when he imagined how much overwhelming pressure his son must have been under to learn magic for his coronation. No wonder he was so angry and rebellious. Maybe he had a point the night they'd had their argument. Maybe his son's frustration wasn't coming from laziness, but from a place of burn-out.
Come to think of it, how was Junior doing now?
Was he still training with his coronation canceled? Did he even care that his father had been gone for so long? Bowser was ashamed he had gone this long without even thinking of his son once. What a crummy father he turned out to be in the end…
"But as I told you back when we first met," Leanna continued. "You don't need to become full-fledged mages. You just need a basic understanding of magic so you can use the Kagi symbol. So today, I'm gonna give you boys a crash course on the basics."
"Let's do it," Bowser acquiesced with a noticeable degree of seriousness behind his words. Leanna was caught off-guard by his abrupt change in demeanor, but didn't miss a beat as she progressed with the lesson.
"There are three types of magic: physical, mental, and spiritual. As long as you have a basic understanding of all three, you can theoretically learn any kind of magic imaginable. To start, we cast physical magic using the energy in our own bodies. It forms in the pit of the stomach, and we can move that energy around to other parts of our bodies, then concentrate it in one spot."
"And how do you get these magic…juices flowing?" Bowser asked.
"You ever throw a punch before?"
"Well duh. Of course I have. Who hasn't?"
"Then congrats, tubby. You've already done physical magic," Leanna stated. Mario and Bowser glanced at each other, equally confused.
"What do you mean?" The Koopa King replied.
"When you throw a punch, the only reason it does any damage at all is because you concentrated the energy in your body into your fist. That energy was released at the point of contact in your knuckles. Without the energy, your fist colliding with someone or something wouldn't do squat. Get it?"
"I…think so. But are you sure? Is it really that simple?"
"Yeah, it is," Leanna stated in a matter-of-fact tone. "Give yourself some credit, will ya? Turns out you've been doing magic all this time and you didn't even know it."
"Wow…," said Bowser as he examined his palms.
"But physical magic isn't just about throwing your energy around in your body," Leanna continued. "You can also use that energy to manipulate the world around you. With a little finesse, you could learn how to control stuff like rocks, water, fire, etc. And if you've got a lot of energy in you, you can even transform your physical appearance altogether."
"Transform…," Mario repeated as he pondered this.
Bowser immediately thought of his spike ball transformation upon hearing this. He could feel the wires rapidly connecting in his brain by the minute. Maybe learning magic wouldn't be so hard after all.
"You look stumped, Mario. Talk to me," Leanna probed. Bowser looked down at him too.
"It's just…I'm not sure if what I do really counts as magic," the plumber confessed.
"Depends on what it is."
"Well, I have these things called 'power-ups,'" Mario started to explain. "They're these mystical objects that give me all sorts of special powers when I touch them. But I can only use these abilities when I hold power-ups, and I immediately lose them if I get hit."
"Huh…," Leanna responded as the crossed her arms in thought.
"It's not really magic if it's something outside of my body that's giving me these powers, is it?"
"I see what you're getting at."
"You do?"
"Yeah. Do you have one of these things on you right now to show me?" Mario patted his pockets half-heartedly and shrugged.
"Not now. Maybe in the real world, I might have something in my pocket."
"But if you got captured by Contemno, he probably would've confiscated it from you while you were out cold," Bowser argued.
"Good point," said Leanna. "No big deal. You're overthinking this anyway."
"I am?" Mario replied.
"Sure. These 'power-ups' just react to your touch, right? They won't do anything if they're just left alone otherwise?" Mario nodded. "Then that doesn't change anything. So quit worrying about it."
"Hold on, what do you mean?" Bowser inquired.
"It's simple. If these power-ups don't do anything until you touch them, then the powers aren't actually coming from them. They're coming from you, Mario."
"From…me?" Leanna nodded.
"Yeah, they're just reacting to the natural energy in your body. Ever heard of something called a conduit? It's basically a physical tool people use to channel the energy from their bodies and cast spells with it."
"You mean like…a wand?" Bowser guessed.
"Exactly. A wand is the most common kind of conduit there is. But in Mario's case, the power-ups are a special type of conduit."
"Sorry…I still don't think I'm following…," Mario admitted as he scratched the side of his head.
"Think of it like…that light bulb," Leanna started as she pointed to the light fixture suspended from the ceiling above them; emitting a humble glow. "If light is magic, and electricity is the natural energy in our bodies, then that light bulb is the conduit. By itself, it's basically just a glass ball with some wires inside, right?"
"Right," Mario confirmed.
"But if you give the light bulb electricity, it gives off light. Same principle applies to magic. If you give your natural energy to a conduit like a wand or a power-up, magic happens."
Mario's eyes widened at this realization as he glanced down at his hands in astonishment. It was as though he was realizing he had hands for the very first time.
"The powers…they all come from within me," Mario concluded. "Fire balls…the tanooki tail…the power stars…"
"You've got the blueprints inside you for all the crazy stuff that happens when you pick that stuff up…," Bowser surmised.
"I mean…this is…huge!" Mario exclaimed. "But…how does this help me now when I don't have any power-ups with me?"
"Who said you need power-ups?" Leanna countered. "If you can transform or use special powers with your own natural energy when you touch a power-up, then it stands to reason that you can just tap into those powers at any time without ever needing a power-up; with enough training that is."
"You mean like…using those powers at any time? Without the power-ups as a conduit?"
"Not just that. It also means you've already got enough of a grasp on the concept of physical magic that we're ready to move on to the second type."
"Hold on, I don't buy this!" Bowser objected. "If it were really that easy for Mario to just…throw fireballs without a Fire Flower for example, then he would do it anytime he wants! But he doesn't!"
"Maybe I…could…," Mario theorized. He stood up and extended his arm out in front of him; his palm open. He stepped back and made a pitching motion, but nothing happened. "No good…" Leanna pondered this for a moment.
"I suspected as much," she said. "The reason it's not working right now is because you haven't opened your mind up to the possibility."
"Opened my mind?" Mario parroted. Leanna nodded.
"You've conditioned yourself to believe that you can only access your powers if you have one of those power-ups with you. So if you try to use one of your powers without a power-up, the reason it won't work is because you believe it won't."
"So what, he's just gotta change his mindset or something?" Bowser asked for Mario.
"Yes. So what you really need is practice with mental magic," Leanna deducted. "You'll need to learn this too, Bowser, because you'll both need it in order to use the Kagi symbol."
"And mental magic is…what exactly?" Mario asked.
"Mental magic is all about how your mind affects your magic output," Leanna answered. "Your thoughts and emotions have a direct influence on physical magic, so they can either enhance or hinder it. For example, if you feel positive emotions like happiness, confidence, or excitement, the strength and power of your magic can increase. But the opposite is also true. If you feel negative emotions like sadness, anger, or fear, you'll lose control of your magic in one way or another. Get too angry for instance, and your magic will go haywire and you'll lose control of it. Lose faith in yourself, and your magic will fizzle out into nothingness."
"So what, we have to become mindless, happy zombies or something?" Bowser guessed with a scoff.
"No. Your magic is affected by genuine emotions," Leanna clarified as she placed a hand to her chest. "No matter how much you try to fake it, your heart's true feelings can always be reflected by your magic."
"So, how do we use mental magic then?" Mario asked.
"You need to be able to recognize your emotional state of mind at any given moment, immediately identify what's causing it if there's an issue, process your feelings, and resolve it. So if something's bothering you, you need to quickly understand what that something is if you don't want it to impact your ability to do magic. Magic users practice this through meditation."
"Ahhh, I getcha. That's why we've been doing it too then, huh?" Bowser deducted.
"Exactly. The physical training has made it as easy as possible for natural energy to move around inside your bodies. Now you should be able to use physical magic without hurting yourselves or tiring out too quickly, given that you're not as young as you used to be. The meditation will help make it easier for you to be in tune with your mental state so you can better control your magic. Basically, you're already well on your way to mastering both."
"But how do I fix my power-up problem, then? How do I change my mindset about my ability to use these powers?" Mario inquired. Leanna began to pace slowly around the room.
"You'll probably need a power-up for that."
"Why's that?"
"You need to train your mind and body to recognize the sensation of accessing your powers with a power-up first, then try to recreate that exact sensation without one. Unfortunately, this will have to wait until we can get out of here so you can get your hands on a power-up for practice."
"Okay, so what do we do in the meantime then?" Bowser asked.
"Let's put a pin in this topic for now. We're getting ahead of ourselves. You still need mental magic in order to use the Kagi symbol anyway."
"What're we waiting for then? Hurry up and teach us how to use it so we can get out of here!"
"Patience. Remember what I just said about negative emotions a minute ago?" Leanna cautioned. "If you rush or try to force your magic, it won't work properly. You need to be calm and keep a level head. Got it?" Bowser sighed and nodded with reluctance.
"Yeah, yeah…"
"In case you haven't already pieced it together by now, activating the Kagi symbol in order to create the portal leading out of Contemno's heart kingdom requires physical magic. But if you'll recall, I also explained before that when you use the portal, you need to have a destination point in mind in order to control where you end up on the other side. That's the mental magic part of it."
"Right, you warned us that if we use the portal to come back here, we could end up somewhere dangerous if we don't have a destination point in mind," Mario recounted.
"Exactly."
"Hold on, I just thought of something," Bowser interrupted. "Why do Mario and I need our own destination points? In fact, why do we need our own symbols at all? You can create a portal and hop back and forth right now just fine. So why can't we just follow you through your portal back to the real world?"
"Because it gets a little more complicated in your current situation," said Leanna. "I also explained before that you guys aren't really here in the heart kingdom. Your bodies are unconscious in the real world, and your minds are just creating projections of your bodies in the heart kingdom. For you two, it's not as simple as hopping between the two realms like it is for me."
"Oh of course it's not that simple!" Bowser complained. "Where would be the fun in that?!"
"Relax, it's not a big deal," said Leanna. "In your current state, once you guys go through the portal, these projections of your bodies will disappear. But if your minds aren't able to find their way back to your real bodies once they get to the real world, you'll never wake up. In other words, if I opened a portal right now and you two followed me through it, I'm the only one who would come out on the other side and your minds will get lost in limbo."
"I'm assuming you've already got a solution to this problem?" Mario asked. Leanna chuckled.
"Naturally. You two will use your own Kagi symbols and instead of showing up somewhere in the real world with me, you'll end up inside your original bodies. I'll be there to lift the curse that's keeping you unconscious so that by the time your minds arrive back in your bodies, you'll wake up no problem."
"In other words…our destination point needs to be…wherever our bodies are in the real world!" Mario deduced.
"Bingo," Leanna confirmed.
"Uggghhh, I'm trying to wrap my head around all this. But I think my mind's already lost, and it hasn't even gone anywhere yet!" Bowser whined as he massaged his temples.
"It'll make sense once we go over the last piece of this little puzzle," said Leanna.
"What's that?" Mario probed.
"In order to use your bodies as the destination point, you need to know where they are right now in the real world so you can imagine that place when you go through your portals," Leanna explained.
"How the hell are we supposed to know where Contemno stashed our bodies? We were unconscious when it happened," Bowser argued.
"Wait, Leanna, can't you just jump out into the real world and find our bodies for us? Then you could come back here and tell us where they are," Mario reasoned.
"That would be a good plan, except that I don't know where Contemno's keeping you locked up in the real world either. So I can't use that spot as a destination point myself. I met both of you after you already wound up inside here."
"Well then, sounds like all we need to do now is find some kinda clue about where our bodies are, right?" Bowser proposed. "Then we can just think about that place, jump through the portals, and we'll be on our way!"
"Huh, whaddaya know? You can come up with good ideas when you're not too busy whining about how hard everything is," Leanna joked.
"Oh stop, you're gonna make me blush," Bowser retorted sarcastically.
"But where do we start looking? I seriously doubt Contemno would leave an important clue just laying around in a world that he created from scratch," Mario surmised.
"Well, without our bodies, you and I are stuck here. Not much searching we can do except inside this stupid place," Bowser added.
"Hmmm…I've got something. Follow me," Leanna said as she turned and walked quickly up the staircase with Mario and Bowser not far behind.
Topper tapped his foot a mile a minute as he paced back and forth across the room.
"C'mon, Toppa. Ya gotta relax," Hariet urged him.
"Y-yeah. Da boss'll give us anudda chance. We just gotta be a lil' patient. Dat's all," Rango added.
"Grrr…no! Dat ain't good 'nuff!" Topper exclaimed. "Don't yous guys see what's goin' on here?"
"No…what?" Spewart asked.
"I'll tell ya what! We're bein' benched! Da boss is just about trew wid us! He's bringin' in all dese other chumps cuz dey're gonna be our replacements pretty soon!"
"No…dat can't be true…," Rango denied.
"Boss likes us…," Spewart agreed. "We did good by bringin' him Bowsa and dat other broad." Topper marched over and slapped his large sibling across the face.
"WAKE UP, PALOOKA!" he screamed. "Dat don't mean squat since we screwed up in findin' Bowsa's kid! We gotta get back in da boss's good graces before he cuts us loose. Dat's why he's already got dese other yahoos hangin' around. Pretty soon, he's gonna send 'em out to do our job, and we'll be old news!"
"So...whadda we do den, Toppa?" Rango asked nervously.
"Simple. We gotta go out there and off Bowsa's bratty son!"
"But da boss told us to stay here 'til he calls for us…," Hariet reminded. Topper raced over to her, but she proceeded to walk backwards until she was up against the wall; fearing he would slap her next.
"Open yer eyes, dummy! Da next time boss calls for us, it'll be to show us da door! We gotta prove ourselves to him before dat happens!"
"So whadda we do?" Rango asked. Topper yelled in frustration and hopped over to the room's exit.
"How many times I gotta say it?! Let's go find dat scrawny Koopa kid and put him outta his misery! Follow me, ya bozos!"
Topper scurried out the door, his fearfully compliant siblings following reluctantly behind.
"Remind me again why we're paying Tatanga a visit," Grodus asked.
"Aren't you even the slightest bit curious as to what caused him to become hospitalized?" Wart asked as the pair casually strolled down the shadowy corridor.
"Not particularly. I don't have the slightest shred of concern for his well-being, nor would I if I possessed the capacity to feel it."
"Hehe…oh believe me, I'm not partial to the goon myself," Wart agreed with a chuckle. "But even you must admit this world has become frightfully dull now that the kingdoms are under our control."
"Contemno's control, you mean," Grodus correct him bluntly.
"Oh please. Don't tell me you actually believe that rubbish," Wart scoffed.
"We were resurrected for the sole purpose of sieging the kingdoms of the world in Contemno's name. What is so difficult to understand about that?"
"If that man possessed the knowledge and means of bringing the dead back to life, then Contemno had to have also known what kind of people he was reviving," Wart reasoned. "After all, we were world-class criminals in our previous lives, and powerful ones as that. Surely even Contemno could not be so short-sighted enough to genuinely assume we wouldn't use our powers to take the kingdoms for ourselves; much less kill him if he then tried to take them from us."
"Contemno is the one who gave us our second lives in the first place. It is only logical to assume that he also has the means to grant us swift second deaths if we defy him," Grodus challenged.
"Perhaps, assuming he is powerful enough to pull that off anyway," Wart replied. "Personally, I'm not impressed by the strength he has displayed thus far. Contemno luckily hasn't done anything to me yet to warrant me destroying him. But if he happens to get on my bad side, I honestly don't think it would be difficult for me to take his life first."
"It would be wise to still such a mutinous tongue," Grodus warned. "Especially while we're currently under the same roof as our appointed superior. Shall I assume that you are the one who has started the rumblings of a potential uprising that have been making the rounds in the organization as of late?" Wart's eyes skeptically sampled Grodus from head to toe, but he couldn't help smiling.
"Maybe, maybe not. Although, I admit that I do enjoy stirring up a little anarchy every now and then. But if you must know, I'm only saying what everyone around here is already thinking," Wart defended. "No one seriously believes that Contemno is fit to be ruler of the world, much less issuing commands to any of us. If treason is in fact in our future, then the ball was set in motion long before I could devise a scheme of my own."
"Not everyone shares such a dangerous sentiment," Grodus denied.
"Tell me, how much of that dog-like mentality is your own volition, and how much of it was programmed into that fish bowl you call a head?" Grodus stopped and cranked his neck mechanically towards Wart.
In the blink of an eye, Wart found himself pinned against the wall with Grodus's scepter pressed across his neck.
"I am a robot, not a fleshy, feeling organism like you, Wart," Grodus explained. "I possess a central processor, not a brain. I carry a harddrive where a heart would be. I am incapable of independent thought. Feeling is not in my programming. I only think and act based on how I am wired to. And right now, I am programmed to obey and carry out the orders of Contemno. Nothing more."
"Really, I find that hard to believe after the way you questioned his motives back in our last meeting," Wart reminded. "Honestly, I think this is all an act. I think you're just as dying to rebel as the rest of us."
"I have my orders, and I will carry them out without hesitation." Grodus lowered his scepter. Wart stepped away from the wall, sighed, and shrugged at this.
"Whatever you say…"
"ONE SIDE!" A voice chirped suddenly.
At that moment, four white blurs raced past the pair; a large one nearly colliding with Wart.
"What on earth was that about…?" Wart muttered aloud in annoyance
"The Broodals," Grodus identified.
"Believe me, I'm more acquainted with them than I'd like to be. I'd recognize their irritating voices anywhere. But just where in the world could they be rushing off to in such a hurry?"
"That is none of our concern," said Grodus. "Come, let us pay Tatanga a visit and be on our way. I've spent too much time away from my post as it is."
"Oh, you know how to suck the fun out of everything, you big calculator!" Wart complained. "Still…I suppose you're right. I couldn't care less what those meddlesome furballs are up to. And if Tatanga took a terrible enough lashing to keep him bed-ridden for days, I simply must know for certain who – or what- is responsible!"
"Wait a sec, you're abandoning us? Seriously?!" Bowser roared.
"No, I'm not," Leanna replied bluntly as she continued packing her backpack with supplies. "In your current state, you two are stuck here. I'm the only one who can get back to the real world, so I have to go alone for the time being."
"Where are you going? I hope you've got some plan in mind for how to get us out of here," said Mario as he folded his arms.
"I do. I've got a destination point in the real world that will put me not too far out from the stronghold where one of Contemno's followers has set up shop," Leanna explained. "Contemno moves around constantly to keep everyone in the know, and it just so happens that I've got a connection on the inside of this place in particular who leaks info to me every now and then. If Contemno has told anyone where he's stashing your bodies, my source might know the location, or could at least point me in the right direction."
"Are you sure you'll be okay on your own? I hate that we can't be there to back you up."
"Relax. I've been doing this on my own for a long time now. I'll be back as soon as I get something useful."
"Well…how long is this gonna take? And what the hell are we supposed to do here in the meantime?" Bowser complained with his hands on his hips, shifting his weight from one side to the other.
"Depends on what info I get. Could be quick, or it could take some digging. Won't know until I get there. And I don't know, just…do some more meditating or something."
"Maybe we could do some research of our own," Mario suggested.
"Research? What are we gonna find in here?" Bowser scrutinized.
"Contemno created this entire world himself, right? That means it has to tell us something about who he is as a person. Maybe if we dig around a bit, we can get an idea of how his mind works."
"He's a psychopath. What more do we need to know about him?"
"We could try to figure out what he's trying to accomplish, for starters. If we find some clues about what his plans are, then maybe we'll be able to think of some places where he might want to hide our bodies."
"That's stupid," Bowser said with a scoff.
"Hey, if that's how you wanna kill time, fine by me," said Leanna as she shrugged. "Try starting with the orphanage you were hanging around in before. Mario's got a point. If nothing else, it can't hurt to get to know your enemy better. We'll meet back here later."
"Fine, fine. But don't keep us waiting too long," Bowser warned as he pointed a claw at her.
"How about I give you a sneak peek of what's to come? Would that cheer you up, Mr. Grumpy?"
"A what?" Bowser replied. Leanna motioned for him and Mario to take a step back. She removed her glove and held out her hand. The woman fell completely still as she closed her eyes to concentrate.
Within seconds, Leanna's hand tattoo began to glow a radiant blue. A beam of light shot out from her palm and tore open a large, circular tear in the very fabric of reality. There was nothing but distorted blue light inside this window to a realm unknown to them.
"That's the portal…," Mario surmised. Leanna smiled and nodded. As the beam of light coming from her hand dissipated, she put her glove back on; approaching the portal.
"Just wait until you can make your own. Trust me, it's a hoot!" she teased. Leanna hopped into the portal, and it immediately vanished; leaving Mario and Bowser to stand silently in the diner together until the Koopa King randomly chuckled.
"What's so funny?" Mario asked.
"Wait until Kammy hears I've been studying magic. It'll blow her mind," said Bowser.
"It's blowing my mind just thinking about the possibility of me throwing fireballs without a Fire Flower," Mario added. "Do you…think it's really possible?" Bowser threw up his arms.
"Who knows? But if anyone is capable of doing the impossible, it's probably you." Mario smiled at this.
"C'mon, let's get moving," he said, already making his way for the door.
Eris finished changing Tatanga's bandages, and not a moment too soon. She was desperate to get out of there. She couldn't stand to listen to his ramblings of paranoia for one second more.
"C'mon! You're his second-in-command, aren't ya? And you seem like a bright young lady to boot," Tatanga reasoned. "If he would listen to anyone, it would surely be you, right?"
"Enough!" Eris exclaimed. "There's a reason why Contemno is in charge of this whole operation, and you're nothing more than a subordinate. He spent years meticulously planning every step. Whatever kind of trouble you think we're in, Contemno will handle it."
"That's just what he wants you to think so you won't panic," Tatanga argued. "If anyone thinks he isn't good enough to handle the storm that's coming our way, no one will follow him. They'll turn on him."
"Are you speaking for yourself?"
"I won't need to unless that freak gets his act together," Tatanga warned as he aimed a finger at her. "Don't say I didn't warn you. Mark my words, sweet-cheeks. Bowser Jr. is a problem. He needs to be dealt with soon, or else we'll all go down the same way Midbus did." Eris scoffed at this.
"That will never happen. You're being ridiculous, Tatanga." The goblin raised an eyebrow.
"Am I? What makes you so sure?" Eris rolled her eyes and sighed as if this conversation was the most monumental drag in history. But clearly, Tatanga was simply going to need something reassuring to latch onto until Contemno had a chance to show everyone the truth. She glanced around the room quickly just to make sure no one was listening.
"Listen, it's not my place to tell you this ahead of time. But if you must know, Contemno's been finalizing the plans for Phase 2. He'll be holding a meeting soon to formally go over the details."
"He already mentioned that to me when he was here. What exactly is Phase 2?" Eris smirked and the sound of a small chuckle slipped through her lips.
"You'll just have to wait and see."
"Do you even know what it is?"
"Of course I do. But I wouldn't dream of spoiling the surprise."
"Don't be like that," Tatanga groaned. Eris slowly stroked his chin with a single delicate finger; winking.
"Trust me, Tatanga. It's a game-changer. It won't matter how strong Junior or any of his little cohorts get. By the time they catch on to what's going to happen next, it'll be too late for them to do anything about it. The world is about to change forever."
"Why should I believe any of that?"
"Because you're part of Phase 2," Eris replied simply.
"'Part of it'? What the hell does that mean?"
"It's the fact that we're telling you about this meeting at all. It's your invitation. Not all of them will be so lucky. So relax. Your seat at the cool kid's table has already been reserved."
"Hold on…you mean not everyone is gonna be at this meeting?"
"Look who's finally starting to catch on."
"So what's the deciding factor then? How do you decide who deserves to be there and who doesn't?"
"I just told you to relax. Contemno promises that after this meeting, everything will become clear. He's got it all figured out."
"Riiiight. So should I assume that I'm not allowed to tell anyone about this 'super-secret meeting' then either?"
"That's up to you. You can tell anyone you think is worthy," Eris answered with a casual shrug.
"Worthy of what?"
"Of being part of the new world order."
Eris said nothing more as she turned and strolled out of the room. Tatanga was left alone to ponder this development.
Minutes after she left, another figure knocked at the door and slowly entered his hospital room. It was L.
"Back already? That was fast," Tatanga said as he gestured for him to come inside.
"Well, you did say it was urgent," L replied. "So I brought everyone back here as quickly as I could."
"The others are with you? Good, good. Bring 'em in." L turned back and motioned with his hand. Three large figures marched in from the hallway.
The first was a tall, lanky gentleman with twig-like limbs. He was dressed in a formal, ultra violet vest and dress pants with a striped dress shirt and pointed, purple loafers. A matching fedora rested in the center of his perfectly groomed brown hair. He leaned back against the wall and twirled a rose around between his gloved thumb and index finger.
The second man was the complete opposite in stature to the first. He was short and widely obese; dressed in a gaudy combination of yellow and purple. The man dawned a yellow polo shirt with purple sleeves, extra-large plaid pants of purple and yellow diamonds, and tacky, contrasting emerald green loafers. A spiked belt with an obnoxious gold belt buckle struggled – yet still somehow managed – to hold his massive, round gut in place. A tall yellow cowboy hat served as the focal point of his ensemble, and a large "O" emblem was prominently displayed on his belt buckle and hat.
The final man was not a man at all, but a muscular, brown-haired gorilla walking on all fours. There wasn't much to the ape's attire, save for a black mask over his pupil-less red eyes, a pair of silk, ruby shorts, and enormous, matching boxing gloves over his hands. His spiked, metal knuckle guards clanked against the tile floor as he meandered in. Fastened around the creature's waste was a black and gold champion's belt with the initials "CK" engrained on it.
"What's this about, boss?" the fat man asked immediately; folding his arms.
"Alpha, Omega, Crusher, L, the reason I called you here is because there have been some…troubling developments," Tatanga answered.
"Troubling how?" asked Alpha as he continued twirling his rose with rapidly waning interest.
"I know you guys are part of the rumor mill so I won't beat around the bush. Contemno's little club of villains is doomed to fall apart at the seams pretty soon. I had my suspicions before, but now I'm certain of it. Problem is, the guy is a deranged lunatic and he's too blind to see it. He resurrected all of us, told us to go out and conquer the kingdoms for him, but he actually has the gull to think none of us will betray him and just keep the lands for ourselves."
"If he's that much of a lost cause, then why're we following him?" Omega questioned.
"He brought me back from the brink of extinction too. And put me in charge of my own crew. Had to show him at least a little gratitude for it by playing along. But that might not be the norm for much longer. See, I got a sneaking suspicion Contemno's days are numbered. If it's not done by one of his resurrected followers, then it'll likely be the guy who did this to me," the goblin explained as he gestured to his bandaged waist.
"That our next job then? Take out Contemno?" Alpha probed.
"Shhh! Keep it down, idiot! The last thing we need is to make even more enemies by broadcasting our plans like that!" Tatanga scolded.
"You got a point then?" Omega retorted.
"Of course I do, fatso! Listen, this ain't an assassin job. What I'm getting at is this whole hierarchy is gonna come crashing down sooner rather than later and when it does, chaos is gonna break out. Apparently, I'm the only one in the inner circle who sees that. Nobody will listen to reason. That leaves me with no other choice. I've called you all here today so I can go over the plan for what we're gonna do when it happens."
"You mean like…contingency plans?" L clarified.
"Bingo. The world is in a precarious spot right now. All it's gonna take is one little act of insubordination for the whole establishment to crumble. We need to be ready when it does."
"Just tell us what needs doing," Alpha assured, unfazed.
"First things first. Our base of operations needs to be impenetrable. I mean it. Absolutely no one and I mean no one gets in or out of New Donk. Understood?" The four crew members nodded in unison.
"Second, we need to know as much about our enemies as possible. This is gonna take a helluva lot of reconnaissance, so stay sharp. Contemno still seems to trust me for the moment. He and Eris are teasing some 'Phase 2' they got in the works and there's apparently gonna be an important meeting coming up. Any of you already heard about that?" This response was met with silence. "Figures they'd only tell me. But don't worry. I'll let you all in on everything I hear."
"Where does that leave us?" Alpha asked.
"L and Crusher, you'll be holding down the fort in New Donk until further notice," Tatanga instructed. "Make sure our guest doesn't get any pretty little ideas of walking out on us either."
"Understood," L obliged. Crusher nodded silently.
"Alpha and Omega, there's a target I want you to keep an eye on for me. Ever heard of a kid named Bowser Jr.?" The scrawny and plump men glanced at one another and shrugged.
"As the name implies, he's Bowser's kid, but don't be fooled. He's more dangerous than he seems. You two are to find out where he and his little pals are hiding out. Keep tabs on them and be ready to give me a full report when I call. But more importantly, stay out of sight. You are not to engage them under any circumstances, got it?"
"You worry too much," Alpha said with a smirk.
"Give us a real challenge," Omega agreed.
"You want harder work? Prove to me you can handle it first. Don't screw this up," Tatanga warned.
"We won't let you down, sir," L assured.
"One last thing, no one breathes a word of what was said here to anyone. This is a top-secret mission. Trust no one with these details but each other and me. Everyone else around here is an enemy as far as we're concerned. But don't let 'em on to that fact either."
"'Course not, sir. We're not imbeciles," Omega scoffed.
"See that it stays that way."
Wart and Grodus were about to enter Tatanga's room when four figures marched out in a line.
"Ah, it's you four. Checking in on your boss, are we?" Wart greeted them. Omega and Crusher strolled right past the pair without offering so much as a passing glance. Alpha and L - on the other hand - stopped to at least acknowledge Wart's presence.
"At least we've got a good reason to be here. What're you two doing away from your posts?" Alpha asked with feigned interest as he continued fiddling with the rose in his fingers.
"It just so happens that ruling a kingdom utterly unopposed is frightfully dull. We heard Tatanga was in quite a harrowing battle recently and wanted to make sure he was alright. It's just about the only interesting thing that's happened around here recently. And besides, he's one of us, isn't he? We couldn't help but be concerned for his well-being and by extension, our own safety." Alpha fell silent as if he had to process the sheer audacity of what Wart had just said to him.
"He's our boss. Let us worry about him and stay out of it," he bluntly replied.
"Excuse me?" Wart retorted as his eyes narrowed.
"I think what Alpha meant to say was we appreciate your concern, but Captain Tatanga is doing just fine," L interjected hastily. "We'll make sure he makes a full recovery, so you can just focus on maintaining your kingdoms until further notice." L took Alpha's arm and led him off in hurry to catch up with the others.
"Hmph! Not the friendliest bunch, are they?" Wart commented as he placed his hands to his hips.
"None of us are friends, Wart. It's dangerous to think of anyone here as anything more than acquaintances," said Grodus.
"Oh, but what good is having acquaintances if you have no one to rely on in a pinch?" Wart argued. "And if all this stuffy tension polluting the air lately is a sign of things to come, it certainly couldn't hurt to have someone trustworthy in your corner to rely on."
"Wart, there you are," a voice called from nearby. Wart and Grodus turned to find Eris approaching them.
"Ah, Eris. To what do I owe the pleasure?" Wart asked with a humble bow and a smile.
"Count yourself lucky, frog. Normally, I'd be pretty ticked off about having to ask why you and Grodus decided to just leave your posts and come here without authorization."
"But you're not angry, I take it?"
"On the contrary. You managed to save me the trouble of tracking you down. Contemno has a task for you."
"Ah, I see. Has he summoned for me for an audience then? Well, I'd best be on my way!" Wart decided as he already started to walk away.
"No, I'll be going over your assignment with you. Contemno has other business to tend to," Eris asserted. Wart stopped and smiled; tossing up his hands in the air.
"That always seems to be the case. He's not much for conversing with his peers, is he?" Eris glared at him with murderous intent.
"I'd watch what you say, toad boy. Keep talking out of term like that and you might not be around much longer." Wart frowned as his own eyes confronted her's.
"…Is that a threat?"
"It doesn't have to be. Know your place and all it'll ever amount to is a warning." Wart let out a submissive sigh and shook his head.
"Fine, what is this task?" he probed.
"There are some prisoners we need you to keep an eye on," Eris started. She paused and glanced over at Grodus standing nearby. "This doesn't involve you, Grodus. Return to your post. That's an order from up top."
"Of course," Grodus obeyed as he turned and departed. The woman waited until he was out of sight before continuing.
"You'll want to go in armed," Eris advised.
Contemno waited until Eris had departed and he was certain to have a moment alone with Bastierge before bringing up the subject that had been occupying his mind all day.
"Bastierge. When Midbus died, what was his contribution? Was it substantial?" Contemno asked.
"Noteworthy, though not terribly significant," Bastierge answered. "You were expecting more, I take it?"
"Not necessarily," Contemno confessed. "I never expected him to earn much for us in the long run. He was just another experiment after all, with valuable data nonetheless. But, I need to know if we have enough Essence now to mobilize the rest of my troops."
"That seems to be the case. Each soldier can act with very minimal doses," Bastierge described. "Though it would be wise not to expect too much from any one of them. After all, Essence gives them life, not power."
"That's fine. Occupation is all they're useful for."
"Much like all of the others you have resurrected, it seems. You have tasked them with laying siege to the kingdoms. But now they grow lethargic from a lack of challenge. Tell me, are they all destined to simply await their demise like Midbus?" Contemno chuckled at this.
"No, not all of them. The data that each one is providing is all equally useful to my understanding of Essence. It's all meaningful in one way or another. If nothing else, I'm understanding what works and what doesn't. However, I will require a smaller, more agile team going into Phase 2. It needs to be comprised only of those whom I can really trust," Contemno explained. "The ones who prove themselves unworthy will simply become fuel to the grander cause in the end."
"And what will be the deciding factor?" Bastierge asked.
Contemno scrunched his bandaged hand into a fist as a purple aura engulfed it.
"If they believe in life after death."
Mario and Bowser jogged down street after street as the rain poured on. They completely disregarded the trench coat-wearing silhouettes thanks to their new understanding of what these really were: nothing more than pointless illusions; decorative pieces designed to give this empty husk of a city a hollow semblance of life.
"You really think we're gonna find anything useful about Contemno in this dumpy old place?" Bowser asked.
"No clue," Mario admitted. "But even if we can't find something that helps us get out of here, I gotta admit, I'm still curious."
"About what?"
"That orphanage. It seems like such a random thing to add. If you could create an entire world from scratch and make it into anything you want, why would you ever put such a depressing place like that in it unless it means something important to you?"
"He probably couldn't tell you if you asked him," Bowser reasoned. "After all, the guy's-"
"Insane, I know. Stop using that as an excuse, will you? If he were really that reckless, we wouldn't have gotten trapped in here. I think he's saner than you give him credit for."
"What, now you're defending him?"
"Of course not. I'm just saying there has to be some rhyme or reason for all of this. Contemno's working towards something. If we don't treat him like a real threat and start taking this seriously, we'll never get to the bottom of it. Just admit he's got a plan in mind, and we need to figure out what-"
Mario was cut off as Bowser snatched him up by his shirt. It took a second for his mind to process what just happened. Bowser had come to a complete stop and was just standing there.
"H-hey! What're you-" Mario started.
"We've got company," said Bowser as he pointed up towards the top of one of the buildings. A large figured sat comfortably atop the roof, staring off into space. Its eyes suddenly darted towards them, and the creature disappeared instantly; leaving behind a puff of pink smoke.
Bowser let Mario back down, but before the pair could begin scanning the area for any trace of the creature, it materialized directly in front of them. Mario and Bowser both jumped back a few feet.
Standing before them was a large frog dawning a crown on its head and a light blue robe with fluffy, golden rims and cuffs. A pendant with a red diamond shape etched in its center hung just below the frog's wide chin.
"The heart's kingdom - quite a fascinating prospect, isn't it?" said the frog as it gazed slowly around at their surroundings. "A world shaped in any way you want. Where your heart's greatest desires can materialize before your very eyes. It's a dream come true. Or rather, I suppose it isn't true, given its stark detachment from reality. That leaves it as nothing more than…well, just a special kind of dream."
"Who are you supposed to be?" Bowser asked. The frog looked back at him and smirked.
"Dispelling with the formalities. I would expect nothing less from you, Bowser." The frog turned to Mario next. "And Mario. My, my, the years have strangely been quite merciful to you, it seems. Why, you look as though you haven't aged a day in ten whole years!"
"Do I know you?" Mario inquired, raising an eyebrow. The frog scoffed at this.
"Oh, I'm not surprised you don't remember me. Our one and only meeting in Subcon was quite some time ago." He eyed the creature for a minute, then the plumber's eyes widened at this. "Nevertheless, I've had nothing but time on my hands to loathe my distinct remembrance of you."
"…'Subcon'? Wait a second…Wart?"
"Friend of your's?" Bowser inserted sarcastically.
"Hardly. I only met the guy once, and I'd pretty much convinced myself back then that it was all just a dream," Mario replied.
"Oh I assure you it was very much real," said Wart. "You made quick work of me and exiled me from your mind soon after without a second thought. Meanwhile I was imprisoned on the other side of mortality for ages; hopelessly reflecting on how it all went wrong."
"Yeah, yeah. You got a real sob story there," said Bowser. "Go write a book about it. We're in a hurry here." This seemed to catch Wart's attention as he directed his gaze at Bowser.
"How curious. Just where might you little cockroaches be scurrying off to in such a hurry when you're in a world of Contemno's control?"
"Like that's any of your business! Why don't you hop on back into whatever little pond you came from, froggy?"
"Hmph, it hardly matters what your intentions are," Wart retorted with a smirk. "The result remains the same. You two are prisoners of this realm, and I was given the task of watching over you."
"Pfft, sounds like you got stuck with the icky job then. Congrats," Bowser continued to tease.
"It's no bother to me, I assure you. I confess that I was growing quite bored of ruling a kingdom unopposed; as I'm sure the others are beginning to feel as well."
"'Ruling a kingdom?'" Mario repeated. "What're you talking about?"
"Oh, that's right. You two have been trapped in here for so long that you'd have no clue what has transpired in the outside world," said Wart. "And since you're powerless to change anything, there's no harm in me letting it slip. In all the time you've been prisoners to this dream world, Contemno ordered his followers – such as myself – to go forth and siege every last kingdom in your pathetic little world. Everything and everyone you know answers to us now."
"Everyone?" Bowser parroted. "No…you don't mean…"
"I do. Your kingdom is our property now as well, Bowser. All of your subjects – including your precious child – are currently Contemno's property."
"WHY YOU SLIMY LITTLE-!" Bowser roared. It took all of Mario's strength to keep the Koopa King from lashing out at Wart. "IF YOU HURT ONE HAIR ON HIS HEAD, I'M GONNA-"
"You'll do what?" Wart countered. "You're trapped here, you ignorant beast. Contemno is your only way in or out of the heart kingdom. And even if you groveled on your knees; swearing your loyalty to him and begging for his forgiveness, I highly doubt that he'd let you out even then. Especially not after your last encounter with him."
"If we're so powerless, why did Contemno send you to watch over us?" Mario asked earnestly.
"Don't misunderstand. It isn't what you think. I'm not here to prevent you from escaping. I've come here seeking something else…," Wart clarified.
"Seeking what?"
Suddenly, Wart threw his head back; facing the sky. An abhorrent gurgling sound erupted from his throat. Two large, red bubbles emerged from the frog's mouth in succession. He took one in each hand, and his face descended to meet them once more; a frightening confidence manifesting in his eyes.
"Entertainment."