Glory
Hello and glad to see you back for some more Strikers Road Climb. Not much to say beside getting right into to this.
As always I do not own Mario or Mario Strikers Charged Nintendo and Next Level Games does.
Hours before Mario and the Fireballs were triumphant in their efforts of becoming Fire Cup Champions. The nine games were not easy but the group of five was able to persevere. Now they were finally allowed to relax and enjoy their hard work.
In Mario's cozy home the five strikers were in their everyday attires sitting around the plumber's kitchen table. Mario ordered five pizzas, one each for everyone's favorite type of toppings. When the food arrived the Fireball enjoyed their meal.
"What a day! First we crush a self absorbed prince to win the cup and now we get to eat pizza." Henry jubbly said mouth full without bothering to chew and still wearing his golden medallion.
Kenny was less than impressed. "Chew before you speak." while reaching for a slice of the meat lover's Henry's favorite.
"Sorry Kenny," Henry apologized, swallowing his food. "But can you blame me? We just won the tournament, how are you not excited right now?"
"Henry has a point, what's up Kenny? Is championship glory no longer thrilling to you" Dean put out there.
"No it's not that, I'm happy we won really. It's just Henry acts like a five year old when he eats and everything else he does." Kenny explained before taking a bite of his slice of popular Italian dish. Henry simply rolled his eyes and kept on eating.
The five finished the first box and opened the next one. The second pizza was plain cheese with one topping, anchovies. This got mixed reactions on both sides of the spectrum.
"Aw score!" Kingston yelled out, already grabbing for a piece of the fish covered treat. Henry was appalled, the sight of herrings on something as good as pizza made him sick.
"Are you mad!? What kind of psycho puts fish on pizza!?" the disgusted Hammer shouted in an over the top voice.
Kingston, already taking a bite of his second slice glanced at Henry. "Hey, you can't knock it if you haven't tried it." he said holding the already bitten piece of pie in Henry's face.
Henry's cheeks puffed and put his hand over his mouth. "I think I'm going to puke" the sick turtle choked out turning green and ran off to the bathroom about to hurl.
"Big baby." Kingston insulted under his breath returning to consuming his fishy pizza. The other laughed while helping the hungry crocodile finish off his pizza.
Kingston chugged down his fizzy soft drink, he took notice of Mario's odd silence. "You haven't been talking much mustache, any reason why?"
Mario looked up, his mind was elsewhere. "Sorry what was-a that?"
Kenny, Dean and Kingston raised an eyebrow over the plumber's absent mindedness, not aware of the chattering going by him.
"Something on your mind Mario?" Dean finally asked after a short silence proceeded. The red hero laid back in his chair calming down before speaking;
"I-a just can't believe how-a fast it went." Mario crossed his arms and stared at the ceiling. "Nine-a games went by just-a like that."
"Well when you're winning and kicking tail it goes pretty fast." The outstanding goalie answered airy. Mario smiled lightly at Kingston's silly logic. Dean added to the discussion.
"Sitting down and thinking about it, yeah! It really did fly by,"
"Our first game versus Peach only felt like a week ago." Kingston reminisce of their game at the Wastelands. The game was quite pleasant for Fireballs, not so much for Princess Peach.
Kingston with help from the others finished the sardine topped pizza. Mario carried the two finished cardboard boxes to throw them away. Henry wobbled in swaying side to side back to his seat.
"Hi Henry you're looking great." Kenny the Koopa greeted in a razzing tone, taking a sip of his water. The Hammer Bro was too nauseous to clap back with his often clever remarks and just laid his head on the table.
"I'm still hungry, what do we got next?" Kingston reached for the next square box. Inside contained a large pineapple and ham pizza.
The Koopa of the group face beamed. "Finally, I love Hawaiian."
Henry weakly heave his head up before letting it fall back down. "I'm surrounded by mad men," he muttered.
The sick offensive right fielder's stomach churned. Anchovies and pineapple on pizza should be a felony in Henry's mind. Nevertheless no matter how strange their preferred toppings they were his friends. Kingston glimpsed at the worn out snapping turtle.
"Jeez hammer time I haven't seen you this bad since your make out session with the floor,"
Dean burst laughing, Mario and Kenny sniggered softly covering their mouths. Henry looks daggers at the rambunctious tan pants wearing crocodile. He would very much like to erase that memory permanently.
"Shut up!"
"I'm sorry Henry but you did goof up on that one," Dean coughed out, catching his breath from excessively laughing. Henry pouted, crossing his arms and slouched back in his chair.
Aside from his metal he still was wearing Henry, did not feel like a champion. Being the butt of jokes was not the way he wanted to celebrate and decided to fire back.
"I don't know why you all are laughing, at least I try,"
Kingston grinned. "We do try hammer head, the difference is we don't embarrass ourselves while doing it."
"What do you mean try!? Mario is the hero of countless kingdoms and do you ever see him try? I don't even think he's had a girlfriend!" the noisy Hammer Bro pointed at the plumber.
Mario looked up, he was taking a sip of his drink and saw Henry pointing a finger at him. "What did I-a do?"
Henry didn't have the chance to respond before Kenny spoke up; "That doesn't even make sense Henry, Mario is dating Peach isn't it clear,"
"I'm not-a not dating Peach,"
The kitchen went mute, did Mario just say what he just said? Everyone started at the plumber with foggy looks.
"You're not going out with the princess?" Dean asked. Mario shook his head.
"So I was right," Henry said almost as a question. He said it in the heat of the moment not really knowing if his remark held any weight.
"So wait, you're telling me you save pink dresses from constant life threatening danger and you two are not in a relationship?" The baffled Kritter said not quite getting it. Mario again calmly shook his head and spoke;
"And Henry I've-a had a girlfriend."
Henry lips smirked displaying his enjoyment of the situation. First everyone got off his shell from talking about his kissing blunder. Second he just found out his captain wasn't involved with princess snobs a lot which he sighed in relief at. But Mario said he's had a singianct other and still smirking he relaxedly said two words;
"Prove it,"
Mario pushed off the table and walked out of the dining area. The rest just watched blankly as the plumber exited their view of vision. An painfully awkward silence followed until Kenny broke it.
"Good job Henry, you officially broke Mario."
"My fault? If it wasn't for Kingston's non stop egging on me none of this would of happen!" the defensive Hammer Bro said.
"Woah! Hold it there bird face, it was you who brought up if meatball was sleeping around."
The bickering went on between the three raising their voices trying to shout over one another. Dean amusedly watched chewing on the surprisingly tasty hawiian pizza. The spat carried on for some time.
Mario casually stepped back into the kitchen. He hopped back onto his chair, his reintroduction quieted Kenny, Henry, and Kingston from their quarrel. Mario wore his resting face showing no warmth and his often bright eyes were dull.
The red cap man extended his arm over the table to Henry. In his white gloved hand he held a small red brownish portrait with a leg on the back to hold it up. The Hammer Bro clasped the picture and observed the frame picture, his jaw dropped.
Kingston's brow raised in curiosity and leaned over. His eyes went wide. Kenny and Dean then crowded around and saw the photograph. Dean's agape slightly and Kenny the most courteous of the bunch couldn't help but stare.
The woman was drop dead beautiful. The first thing you would notice is her tight dark red dress that fit snug around her curves leaving little to the imagination. She had long flowing chestnut hair that reached the middle of her back. Her pale skin was smooth and perfect with no marks or blemishes. Finally she had these big beautiful aqua eyes you could get lost in for hours.
Henry glanced up at Mario and looked back down at the portrait repeating the actions again and again. He carefully pass the frame back to Mario before speaking;
"Good one boss," the Hammer Bro chuckled.
"Good one?" the plumber said puzzled.
Henry gently laughed. "Come on Mario, there is no way you dated that," he said pointing at the framed picture. Mario scowled, Henry put his hands up in defense.
"I didn't mean it like that, all I'm saying is she's kinda out for your league."
Mario stormed out stomping his brown boots on the hardwood floor. The rest watched the hero of the Mushroom Kingdom march off.
Kingston chuckled under his breath. "Now you really done it hammer helmet."
"I didn't mean it but look at her man," Henry explained, reaching for the photo frame. "She's gorgeous."
"You're right about that one." Kingston replied, leaning in gawking at the lovey brunette with a stupid smile spreading across his face.
The blushing duo never heard the frustrated Italian man walking back in with another frame in his hand. Mario sat back in his chair, he cleared his throat. The gang looked up and saw Mario holding another photograph. Henry again took the frame picture, this one being bright red.
The picture displayed Mario and the tall lady sitting on a picnic blanket in a sunny park. She had her arms around Mario's neck kissing his cheek. It was apparent the peck wasn't the first, Mario's face was covered in kissy marks from the woman's dark red lipstick. Mario didn't seem to mind with his blushed face and goofy smile.
Henry's jaw dropped even further. "My god, you actually did date her!"
Mario grinned ear to ear nodding drank his ice cold beverage. The sidekicks and goalkeeper still were looking at the picture in awe.
"So what's her name and are you still dating her Mario?" Dean eagerly asked.
"Her name is-a Pauline and it's-a complicated" the plumber nervously fidgeted with his fingers.
"Complicated?" Kenny said muddled.
Mario went a long tangent about his and Paulie as he likes to call her relationship. One day he and Luigi fell down a green pipe and appeared in Mushroom Kingdom while he and Pauline were still dating. After many years he and Pauline reconnected by a chance encounter although not romantically. They transitioned to being friends, ex lover friends but still good friends.
"You still see her?" Dean questioned.
"Yes once-a month we're-a business partners," the blue overall wearing man explained.
"Business partners?" Kingston put on a bewildered expression.
"We-a have a toy line of-a dolls of me and her, wait-a here," Mario dashed and came back with a Mini Mario.
Mario twisted the gold key and set down the toy on the table. The doll started walking around the outside of the table saying many of Mario's classic catchphrases in a high pitch robotic voice. The red figure made its way back to Mario after doing one full lap around the wooden table.
"He-a even comes with accessories," Mario put a small fire flower on top of the action figure. The fun size plumber's outfit changed, its red hat and shirt turning white and blue overalls changing to a dim red.
"Monetizing on your own name, very heroic," Henry sheepishly said, clapping his hands slowly.
Mini Mario shot a fireball hitting the snide Hammer Bro between the eyes. Henry, caught blind fell out of his chair landing on his rear.
"OW! What was that for!" Henry shouted all his ire directed at the doll getting in its face.
Mario ignored the shouting hammer turtle and went on talking. "You might-a like him more now Henry, he was his own-a hammer."
Mario gave the little him a black mallet different from Henry's, this one had a bigger head and both sides were flat. The doll's fire power wore off the moment it was giving the hammer. Smashing tool in stubby hand the walking toy hit Henry on the nose.
Henry yelp in pain retreating back to his chair holding his snout. The others laughed at the Hammer Bro's sore expense.
Henry rubbed his nose. "That's it I'm squashing him!" stretching out for his hammers. Mario fearfully grimaced scooped the little him to his chest before Henry could do anything rash.
"So you still like her." Dean spoke, bringing the conversation back on subject.
"I-a never said that,"
"You don't like her anymore then?" Kenny countered.
"Well, um-," is all the heroic plumber could say scratching the back of his head. A hint pink blush grew across the man in red's face reaching all the way to his ears.
Mario felt the eight eyeballs stare at him looking at him like he was an idiot. His blush darkened from embarrassment and skittishly tittered.
"Um, I'm-a still hungry lets-a see what else we got," the crimson faced Italian blurted, unhooking the next pizza box.
Inside contained a somehow still sizzling pizza with extra pepperoni. Henry's deminor glowed seeing the pizza mounted by its most famous and popular topping.
"Finally, some good food!" the ecstatic hammer turtle exclaimed, already munching on a slice. Mario was utterly fine wanting to change the focus off him and his love life.
Henry happily ate savoring the delicious flavor with his taste buds smiling. Mid chew the snapping turtle wide grin faded, a thought entered Henry's mind.
"What's next?" he murmured. The loud talking ceased almost missing the whisper.
"Huh" Mario asked.
"What's next?" Henry repeated elaboration on his two word question. "What happens after this? Is this a one time thing or will we continue being a team?"
Mario carelessly pulled a slice of the stringy cheese pizza and took a bite. "You-a wanna hear the-a good news or-a bad news first?" the plumber saying in between his chewing.
"Um…, bad news I guess." Henry requested unsure.
"Bad news, there-a won't be any strikers played for the-a summer," Mario comfortably informed. Henry and everyone else's eyes became dejected hearing what the mustached man had to say. Mario was not done talking and resumed.
"Good news is I-a talk to the heads of the-a league. They-a said the season was a big success and are-a planning to make a bigger better next season and I-a plan to suit up once again if you four will be my-a sidekicks and goalie again."
The Fireballs' faces smiled and agreed, taking the offer instantly. They were a well oiled machine of a team aiming for a common goal. More than a team, they were close friends, comrades willing to do anything to help and protect each other.
Mario lifted his glass half full for a toast. "To you guys for-a being the best team a man could ask for,"
Kenny, Henry, Dean and Kingston raised their drinks completing the toast tapping the glass on each other and took a sip of their refreshment. After some more talking and laughter they finished the pepperoni pizza dish together.
"Ugh, I'm so full." Henry complained feeling lethargic.
"We-a ate too much," Mario commented with his hands on his stuffed stomach. Kenny and Kingston groaned in agreeance.
Dean who had been eating as much as everybody else went ahead and opened the last pizza. It was a plain cheese pizza and the Dry Bones carried on eating. The other watched in disbelief seeing the main defender still chowing down.
"Dean, how are you not stuffed?" the befuddled Hammer Bro said, Dean only chuckled.
"Henry I'm dead, I don't feel full."
Author's Notes
Well that wraps up the Fire Cup saga with our favorite red five enjoying the goal feels of their victories. Next Mario and team look ahead and the beginning of the Crystal Cup start with new face and setback our plumber has to deal with. Can the Fireballs winning last or will they shatter as fast as they heated up? You'll only be able to see in the new few chapters of Strikers Road Climb.
See you till then, bye.