Talent of Annoyance
Hi once again, great to see you back for more. Still a decent way of away from the Knockouts but we're nearly there. Cutting to the chase lest get into this.
I do not own Mario or Mario Strikers Charged all rights go to Nintendo and Next Level Games
Oh how this day taunted Mario, of all the things the short plumber could tolerate he was not one of them. The forthcoming days only made him more irritable. His friends were put off and stood out his way. Any other time the man in red would've noticed but that week he was too frustrated to care.
Week four punched its ticket as a fun one. Unique face offs and interesting storylines to go along with the games. A competitive middle of the pack jockeying for the third and fourth seed as Mario and Daisy stayed atop tied for the best record.
First on the list was Yoshi entered Waluigi's house, Thunder Island. Waluigi put in a hard effort only to come so close. Better ball movement and control helped the Eggs earn a triumphant three one win. A sixty eight percent ball possession keep the greens in control and the purple pests neutralized
Next game came at four twenty five, Wario's warhead against Mario's Fireballs. This is why Mario was in a bad mood the whole week, he had to face him!
Wario could be defined in one word, nuisance. For eternity the yellow stinky man's sole goal was to make the red hero's life miserable. From childhood to now Wario had not changed from being the person to dance on or cause a person's misery. And today he had the chance to ruin what Mario had worked so hard for, his perfect record.
The sidekicks and goalie were set in The Underground. Funded by Wario and Waluigi from their treasure Underground was a renowned anything goes place with no rules and off radar of law enforcement. The perfect venue the two rejects would support.
"Talk about a passionate sea of people." Dean said in awe new to the anything goes vibes of the hostile home Wario crowd.
Kenny peered into the thirtyish odd thousand people. The cans flying, fists being thrown and a general disorder.
"If the vibe is prison riot they have a hundred percent achieved it." The calm Koopa said quietly, still staring in the other view of his friends.
"These people are crazy! I think some of them are trying to lick the fence," Henry shouted, pointing at an intoxicated Goomba having his tongue out leaning towards the electric barrier.
The three red sidekicks were out of their element never being in the chaotic house. The audience was anti-rules, anti-authority and anti-manners, so they were very much on the side of the fat yellow captain.
"Welp there's nothing we can do but endure this." Dean told his pals in a slight whimper.
"Huh? Dude you're gonna need to talk up." Henry shouted struggling to hear his own words in all the noise.
"I SAID," the dead one started but never finished.
"Quit your yapping, there's no point in talking!"
The Fireballs looked across the line, the Wario Warheads had made their entrance all without the owner of the team. A Boo, Birdo and Hammer Bro strolled with an air of arrogance.
The yellow geared Hammer Bro walked close to the three reds with a jeering smirk. "If you can't handle the place you might have to leave and lose."
It was the same voice telling Dean to shut it, throwing insults at all three. Henry could only scoff, wondering who his own kind thought he was.
"Yeah, sorry but we can't hear you from all the way down there in the standings."
Dean couldn't help but laugh as Kenny stayed mute only watching. The witty remark didn't faze Wario's offensive sidekick smirk still intact.
"Perhaps, but not for long, the next few will be our time to shine."
"But that time is-a not now." came from an unexpected but notable voice. Mario fell in with a chorus of boos and hollering of not so nice words. The plumber blocked them out and faced the yellow purple squad. In the sea of running mouths a callus laugh boomed over them all.
"Watch out loser! Wario coming in!" the obtuse man cackled falling through the air. As he drew closer to the ground he face planted hard cracking the stone turf. The Fireballs winced, Mario thinking he just witnessed the death of Wario. Kenny hid his eyes peering through a space between his fingers.
"That's gonna leave a mark." Dean said with apprehension in his voice.
Wario lifted his head up making the red sidekicks jump. Rolling out of the man sized crater, Wario edged closer to the red crusader.
"Been a long time huh," Wario started off with a wicked grin showing his teeth. Mario's brow scrunched but kept quiet.
Wario leaned in noses only centimeters apart. "What is it plumber? Someone steal your plunger?"
Mario kept his ground despite his zigzag mustached rival putrid garlic breath. Wario's malicious smile turned sour, Mario's silence made him boil.
"ANSWER ME DUMMY!" he shouted specks of spit landing on the red leader's face.
"Can it,"
Wario thought his ears were playing games on him, invading into the Fireballs' captain even more he hissed. "What did you say to me?"
"Can it." the red man repeated then continued.
"Back up and-a can it." Mario sternly said.
The rotund pink nosed villain snorted and chuckled while wobbling away from Mario. He did the same regrouping with his on edge teammates. Kenny took a step away as Mario stopped over his Koopa sudden movement.
"What's-a wrong?"
"You haven't been yourself Mario, ever since last Sunday."
"Yeah, brainiac has a point. Although I'm not as cowardly, I have been intimidated by you boss." Henry added his own point of view. His little brainiac comment earned him a hard slug in the arm from Kenny.
The plumber sighed heavily, he had been in a bad mood and took it out on his friends who deserved none of it. "I'm-a sorry, the thought of-a playing Wario made me mad."
"I can see, is he always like this?" Dean pondered scratching the top of his head.
"Yes unfortunately," Mario nodded.
The Fireball captain adjusted his posture and made his sidekicks listen. "Wario's-a team is all-a power beside Boo. But all-a that power means they-a sacrifice speed. Use your-a pace to keep the ball away from-a them and stop them instantly, keep them away from-a Kingston."
"Um…, that sounds pretty good. How'd you come up with it?" Kenny said astonishingly.
"Wario has-a always been all strength and no mobility. He-a construct his-a team around his-a great power trying to score more than he-a allows."
"Stop gossiping about what dress you want to wear and play already!" a belligerent heckler shouted at the reds.
Henry was ready to whack the aggressive commenter but the teams were told to line up. The captains stepped forward into the one. Kenny and Henry flanked the plumber being mirrored by Birdo and Hammer Bro. Dean backed up with Kingston stretching under the crossbar. Dean grabbed his head detaching it from his shoulder to peer over and was dumbfounded.
Boo was the furthest back besides Wario's Kritter. He surely thought Birdo would be the line of defense. The ghost was more specialized for offense than defending. The pointy eared man was playing it risky, pushing all his strength in attacking but neglecting his goalie. During his distracting thoughts the game started. Dean was alarmed, dropping his skull.
Mario got first touch evading Wario's belly slap. The red capped leader passed the ball away to his Hammer Bro. Henry had the ball for a fleeting moment after Birdo struck him in the upper body.
The lady striker carried the ball in her mouth. Not long after she spat the ball towards Mario's goal. Dean had fixed his head screwing his skull back on his neck and was all set. The steel ball cracked on his head coming clean off the rest of his body. The ball arched back to midfield.
Mario ran with his head looking up, tracking the ball. Focus on the ball Wario crashed into the plumber using his stomach as a weapon catapulting him. The crowd cheered loudly seeing the hero being pushed around more so by Wario's hands.
Wario laughed while marching with the ball when it landed. In the midst of his run he fell on some big banana on his rear. Getting back up he was knocked down once again by Kenny rolling in his shell at full speed into Wario's legs.
The first minute of play could only be described as a back and forth. Wario seemed to put all his effort into punishing Mario shoving and checking him. The lead Fireball attacked right back in particular with a punch with his metal glove to Wario's pink nose. The unruly fans went wild even for violence against the team they were supposed to be cheering for.
Dean had gathered his head for a second time. He had the ball but was trapped in a corner by the yellow Hammer Bro and Birdo. In a panic Dean passed the ball to Kingston who kicked it high in the sky.
The ball landed and rolled near the top sideline in Wario's territory. Mario sprinted for the ball only to be snuffed out by Boo bumping him in the electric wall. A bomb dropped sending Boo out of the arena.
Kenny swooped by taking the ball mid run. Wario obscured his path running along his side between him and the goal. Kenny passed the ball over the head of Wario to Henry. Wario turned after Henry.
The red Hammer Bro saw the big yellow monster grow nearer. Henry swatted the ball with his hammer passing through Wario's dwarfy legs. Kenny kicked the ball with Wario out of his line of sight. The ball cruised its way to the bottom left pocket of the net.
The Fireballs drew first blood versus the Warheads. Boos rained in from the unpleasant wave of people livid at Kenny. The Koopa regrouped, getting praised by his friends, Henry alike, for assisting in the score.
The teams lined up, all noticed the captains. Both we heavily beat mostly by each other's accord. The twos' hatred came out with no try of hiding it. However the tide would swing, the outcome of bumps and bruises was safe to bet on.
Wario kicked the ball off resuming the bout. Instantly Dean dashed in a burst of speed slide tackling Birdo. All the reds followed Dean and put the Warheads on the ropes. They drowned the yellows in their smothering offense. Using their greater speed and passing, keeping the ball all to themselves and out of the Warheads' grasp. The Mario sidekicks used their every trick to get past the goalie but nothing worked. The Kritter was scrappy, tolerating all offense he was getting put through.
In a great moment Wario's Hammer Bro clobbered Kenny on the chin knocking his lights out. Mario stood still once hearing the raw screams of Kenny pierce his ear. Distracted Wario and Boo pinned him, crushing him from both sides, falling limp.
"Give me the ball!" Wario shouted demandingly.
Boo dropped the ball by his leader's feet. Wario with Birdo and Hammer Bro all ran together crossing into the Fireball side getting closer to Kingston. Henry hurried from behind, hammer gripped to strike Wario but was intercepted.
The yellow Hammer Bro blocked the heavy handed swing by holding his own hammer out. Unbeknownst to Henry his turtle rival had his other hammer in hand and attacked. The black mallet badly hit Henry's ear causing a great deal of pain. He collapsed landing on his side, holding his damaged ear rolling back and forth. The people loved what they were seeing and screamed for more.
Wario and his power based sidekicks unleashed havoc, they shot so many times the ball heated up to its all powerful white stage. Kingston blocked the ball sending it back in the air, Bidro tracked the falling sphere and jumped for a clean header. The red armored keeper leaped to the left and managed to graze his fingers.
The ball magnate back to Wario who quickly kicked the ball aimed at the right. Kingston scrambled running on all fours but was too late. The vicious run had ended in the Warhead scoring a crucial one.
Mario struggled up, he was unable to do anything but watch Wario sink one in. He punched the ground hard on one knee leaving a noticeable hole in the ground. In excruciating ache the plumber pulled his way to Kenny helping him up.
Mario recounted the unfortunate events to his Koopa veteran. His already sorrow mood became worse, not helped from the laughing from the crowd aimed towards them. Both glared before limping along to their side.
Dean was tending to Henry pulling him up to his feet and returning his fallen off hammers. Henry cursed so much in twenty odd second filters would have trouble censoring him.
"I don't care what you say I'll break their every bone the second I'm allowed!" Henry lashed out at Mario.
"I-a understand but we-a can't lose focus right now!" The plumber urged.
"Are you kidding me!? We just got manhandled and you're telling us not to lose focus!" Henry yelled back.
"Henry! Calm down." Dean told the irate snapping turtle.
Henry finally begrudgingly stops going back to rubbing his ear. They were all roughed up to a degree. The game had been a one eighty from the previous. They had there share of big hits but these attacks were cut throat and deliberate in causing long term harm.
"Look, if-a you see anyone in-a yellow standing take it out." The leader said firmly. The all out tone was needed in the warzone against the Warheads. Mario passed the ball from the middle to reup play.
Mario gave the ball off to Henry. Right when getting the ball Henry was charged by Wario's Hammer Bro with both hammers already at stand by. Henry reached for his identical whackers but couldn't reach them in time.
Dean blasted the Hammer Bro with a full speed gut check. The yellow offensive player wheezed, little droplets of blood tainted the concrete flooring. He skidded on the rock turf in the electric fence.
Everything went quiet, until the untamable crowd roared, shaking the stadium to its infrastructure. It's like the game was not meant to score more goals but to leave your enemies in a pool of their own blood.
"Um, thanks." Henry spilled out.
Dean twisted his head back while his body faced the other direction. "No problem but I was following Mario's words."
Henry wanted to chuckle but felt the looming dangers and started dribbling. Henry passed to Mario in heavy traffic caught between Wario and Boo. Mario took the ball immediately spun in place.
Wario flew past Mario only to crash and burn in the voltage fence. Mario grabbed Boo by the tail and spun around before letting him go like an olympic hammer throw. In his run of dominance Mario was hit in the back on his spine by Birdo's skull.
Grunting loud in excruciation he landed on the rock flooring. Birdo ended the early push before it could gain any momentum. Items fired from every side given after every cheap or unprovoked attack, in this game items were thrown around like spare coins.
After the tug of war and everyone back on their feet both sides tried to out push and outwit the other. Dean swiped the metal sphere from under Birdo as she stomped closer to the Fireballs' net.
The fast center back zoomed by green shells and bob-omb explosions. Miraculously he made it through and was faced with Wario's Kritter. Dean knew he could never force a shot with his weak foot; he had come to terms with that. He needed to pull something out of his bag of tricks and he thought of the perfect one.
Dean curled himself up and vanished, his deke was used for the first time in a while. A terrifying prospect for any goalie. The crowd went hush for the first time, a regular side effect from the disappearing vanish.
Wario's goalkeeper looked all about for Dean but it was impossible, but he heard something. Better put someone, his clackering bones were faintly heard in the crocodile's sense of hearing only possible with the thirty thousand maniacs sealing their lips.
The juddering bones grew louder as if Dean was closing in. It sounded as if the sneaky Dry Bones was right next to him, then right behind him! He snapped his body around and lo and behold Dean reappearing in front of his very eyes.
"Oh no you don't!" he announced, gripping Dean's skull. Dean attempted to free himself from the Kritter's strong grasp. In the tangle the home side goalkeeper spun and held Dean high.
"TAKE THIS!" the green goalie bellowed. He spiked the Fireballs' main defender on the concrete. His body fell apart limbs breaking from joints in a grutestic display.
The sight was not easy to witness. The Fireballs and even the Warheads paused their fight, Birdo currently had Henry in a back facing headlock. Wario however laughed hysterically showing no decency as he was known to do. Kenny was near Wario as he was keeping him locked down. Wario used the cheap opportunity to check Kenny in the electric barrier.
"PASS ME DA BALL!" he scolded in his thick accent layered voice.
The Warheads' keeper punted the ball out with a good arch. The ball fell right by Wario and his offensive prowess with a massive all out attack. Him and Hammer Bro made Kingston's life misry. No matter how hard the determined keeper tried Hammer Bro forced one past into the goal.
The Fireballs were in a bleak predicament. Once up one are now behind one. Mario could only sit and think about how it went all wrong. He came to the obvious answer, not his preferred but the most sensible.
The plumber slowly hobbled pushing past his worn out ankle to his three sidekicks. All looked beaten and on the brink of passing out, Kenny had soot and ash marks over his face and arms.
"Boys," Mario cut the silence with a hush murmur.
"Yes?" Kenny answered not entirely hearing the acclaimed hero.
"Do you-a three want to-a win?" He questioned, looking back at Wario who was taunting them, pointing and laughing.
"Yeah of course we do." Dean assured him and his friends desire to win.
"Well, in these-a dire times we-a need a change of plans." Mario lowered on one knee, the red sidekick did so as well and listened to Mario carefully.
"We-a have to play to their-a level, attack fast and-a hard and-a make sure to-a watch yourselves ok?" The fire leader put a fist in the middle of their huddle. They all nodded fist bumping together. Mario restarted the match, forty seconds is all they could work with to tie or bring the game back in their favor.
Seconds in, the tides weren't looking good. The Warheads stole the ball from Kenny near the midline. Already in the stages of cracking the Fireballs' thin line of defense. Birdo made her move and dashed towards the middle of Mario's away side and spat the ball. Kingston dropped down letting the ball roll up his chest.
Not wasting the little time left, the keeper threw the ball out as far as he could. Kenny jumped and landed with the halfway charged ball and spirited along the top sideline. Wario nipped at his heels and was closing the angle on him.
The clever Koopa learned from his mistake and stepped back, juking the smelly leader. Wario stumbled on his feet, Kenny now behind him used his shoulder to face plant the obnoxious man in the electric fence as karma did her magic.
Kenny shot a prayer and sent the ball fast and furious. The Kritter jumped and blocked but not seizing the ball. The ball found her way back to Kenny, knowing a second long shot would only misuse precious time.
In the moment Mario and Henry crossed over with Hammer Bro and Boo just behind. Kenny passed down the ball reaching Henry who had Boo all over him. Henry used his hammer and bashed the white ghost leaving him flatten. After Boo, Henry was lunged at by Hammer Bro.
In his last moments Henry saw Mario, far from goal but alone. Henry smacked the ball away as he was smashed with a twin hammer. The ball rolled speedly across the ground now fully charged. The plumber received the ball and gave it a wicked power kick as it gained air. The ball crossed in the left corner and scored with Wario's Kritter failing to stop it.
Four seconds is all that was left, the Fireballs avoid an understandable but disappointing two one loss. Mario was rallied by his teammates cheering together. Wario meanwhile was punching and pounding the ball on the ground using every bad word in his vocabulary. During his venting the metal ball exploded in his face hurting him dearly.
After some time to calm down the sides line up to finish out the game. Wario went all in with his full force. Mario instructed his team to stay put and defend. Wario attempted a prayer of a shot but it widely missed as the whistle ended regular time play.
The crowd were seething, outraged that the game finished as a draw. The PA told the fans to calm down but it only worsened their moods. The two squads stayed on the field unsure of what came next. A draw hadn't happened yet so the next step was uncertain.
The Striker officials and refs were communicating directly with higher ups. The five minutes felt like hours, everyone restless. Mario and his team sat around trying to use the dead time to recoup their hurt bodies.
Finally a Toad with a green cap walked to the middle of the field, he called for both the captains to meet with him at center circle. Both walked over, Toad turned on his earpiece connected his mic so the whole stadium could hear him.
"With the end of the five minute contest no winner was decided in the outcome. This outcome is unacceptable and we're moving on to sudden death!"
Mario's eyes widened hearing the last words. Wario gave a confused grunt before the referee continued.
"Sudden death will be played until either side scores a goal, breaking the tie. The winner will be awarded the normal three points and the loser will walk away with one. There is no time limit and will only be over when a goal is achieved. Do you two accept the conditions?"
"I don't care but if it means more time using him as my punching bag I'm all in." Wario antangonized the red plumber.
Mario gave a large smirk. "Not on-a mine watch Wario, I'll-a beat you and leave you a mess lets-a go!"
The fearsome battle had not extinguished the flames of hate the two carried. The crowd was onboard cheering for sudden death to start. Both leaders retired to their teams to conjure up strategies.
Mario strolled over to see his sidekicks' unreadable face. Just then he realized he never consulted them about their thoughts of going to overtime.
"Heh heh, hope you-a three don't mind-a working overtime?" Mario sheepishly said scratching his cheek.
"You're joking right? This is exactly what we want! We don't take draws, only wins!" Henry exclaimed with his usual gusto.
"We're all in Mario, no matter how long it takes, all we care about is winning tonight." Dean supported ampedly with Kenny smiling.
Mario wiped the uneasiness off his brow, grateful his teammates were ok with him speaking on their behalf. "Okie dokie, let's-a win this!"
The opposing teams lined up stretching. Ready to begin all over again. Mario and Wario started daggers at one another, after this it would be more than a month till they played each other again and both wanted bragging rights. The horn sounded as sudden death went underway.
Mario darted straight, he stepped over the ball to elbow Wario in the gut. He keeled over from the surprise strike coughing in pain. Mario swooped back around to take the ball running by Wario's stun body.
Mario made a break for the inside being chased by Boo. Mario passed the ball back near midfield. Kenny possessed the ball, Henry stayed close by as a safety net if something went wrong. The balanced left fielder tapped the ball over to Henry after being targeted by a red shell.
Henry jumped in the air and littered his mallets, shooting the ball in midair. He was too far however not being able to throw the mallets far enough. Wario's Kritter was fine and captured the ball firmly in his hands.
The Warhead changed the rhythm of the game forcing their way out of their side to the away side of the Fireballs. Bullying the red physically with shoves and checks. Birdo had the ball launching her egg shot, the egg never made it to Kingston as it cracked hitting Henry before it could hard boil.
The ball bounced in the air, Kenny repossessed the metal sphere weaving through the Warheads back in Wario's territory. Kenny gave the ball off to Mario as the two ran together. Dribbling for a while but could never pierce past Boo and Hammer Bro the game was in a stalemate.
In the back finally joining in the attack Dean used his fast movement to arrive. Mario saw him alone and remembered his surprising utility on offense. He took a chance and passed the ball back to Dean.
The Dry Bones saw his moment and charged his skillshot. Wario made his way but was slowed by Mario's tackle and couldn't reach him. Dean set his shot off, the ball surrounded by voltage. The ball traveled fast, the Warhead's goalkeeper threw himself in the way but the ball somehow made it by him.
The goal siren went off alerting what happened. Dean ended sudden death winning the game for the reds, three to two was the score. The audience was stunned not expecting the outcome to come so fast. Overtime only lasted thirty seven seconds.
The Fireballs jumped all over Dean and celebrated with all the adrenaline in the world. Kenny and Henry sat him on their shoulder like a throne, Mario high fived Dean. Wario left the Underground pulling and biting his yellow cap with his squad behind him still winless.
Entering their locker room the red were laughing and in good moods despite how their bodies felt. Henry had an ice pack over his buzzing ear lapsing in and out of exhaustion.
"I know all you feel the same." Henry directed to all of the reds who nodded back tiredly.
"You had quite the bashing bones, you doing alright?" Kingston said sitting next to Dean referring to the defender's splitting apart at the hand of Wario's rival Kritter.
Dean waved him off. "Pft, I been through worse nothing can stop these bones from coming together again"
Mario was glad to see Dean in an upbeat attitude help in part of his moment of glory game winner. Everyone was packing their belongings after the showers to wash away the sweat and stench they all gathered.
Henry was stuffing his two hammers in his crowded gym bag. Even with the help of his shower he felt awful and didn't know how long he needed to recuperate before next week.
"Yo boss, even if you hold practice I don't know if I can make it. After today I just feel like resting."
"That's-a fine there will not be any practice this-a Friday." Mario let be known in advance while gathering his things. Mario turned to see his friends staring at him strangely. His eyes shift to the left, uncomfortable from the silent.
"What? What's-a wrong, was it something I-a said?"
Henry started with a shaky voice. "You canceled practice, you never cancel practice."
"This is truly odd, maybe he's sick." Dean threw out as a serious suggestion.
Kingston scoffed. "Yeah right and I'm purple. No, it is clear old tomato nose is suffering from amnesia."
Mario now gave the same foggy look back at his team for the ideas and Kingston's new name for him.
"Tomato nose?" he muttered, sounding quite hurt.
Kenny stayed muted while the rest were blabbering. He too had found it strange of Mario so nonchalantly skipped a practice. Mario always went on and on about keeping themselves loose and ready and practice was essential. Then it suddenly hit him.
"Hey Mario?"
The plumber turned his gaze. "Yeah,"
"Does this have anything to do with the Miss Pauline lady?"
Mario heard the sound of a crashing semi truck. His tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth. How did he know about Pauline?
Kingston's face radiated in realization. "Oh right, red stache once a month 'business meeting' with red dress." using air quotation finger gestures at the word business meeting.
Mario turned away, he groaned and covered his eyes with his gloved hand. "How-a do you know of-a Pauline?"
Dean seemed to be at a loss of words moving his head looking at his friends for their opinions. "Um…, Mario, you told us about her."
The red hero groaned even louder, he did tell them, over pizza when Henry called into question his love life. Now his entire team knew about Pauline but not the intimate details of their former and current relationship.
"I'll-a be heading out for around two to three-a days to see how-a the toy place is-a doing."
"Oh, two to three days for a business meeting? I don't know boss, a lot more can happen in two to three days." Henry chuckled
"I'm-a done with this, I'm-a going home."
"Hey! Wait for us!" all the sidekicks and goalkeeper scrambled for their belongings hurrying not to miss their bus.
Ending off the night Daisy invited BJ to the Wasteland. The competitive royal shutout Junior winning two nil in a domaining performance all in except the scoreboard. She stayed perfect for another week, but that might change.
The last undefeated teams of the Crystal Cup were due next week. Mario's red hot Fireballs versus Daisy's unstoppable Flower Petals. One side was going to lose and only one will remain on top as the other will slip to second.
Oh week five you can't come soon enough!
Author's Note
I actually do not have a lot to say expect school is almost out for me but not yet. About a week and a half so updates will be more frequent but not this if I write 5K word chapter. Heh heh, oops.
Beside that just stay safe for me until next time, peace!