Acutely Cautious
After Iggy's unwanted visit to her garage, Toadette's motivation shifts into overdrive. It's not just a simple race anymore; this is personal. If he thinks he can waltz into her garage and insult her; she'll be the one to shove those snarky words back into his big mouth as he begs her to stop.
Now, if only the world would cooperate with her newfound drive.
The tires she requested are, unfortunately, out of stock due to popular demand. Something about seeing Mario use them in the last race bumped up sales. Most kart mods have frequently been seen using them in some show of support. She has to wait another week to get her wheels in.
It's a bit of a speed bump in her original plans, but she kept her focus on other things that had to be done. After all, it couldn't get worse.
Then the new engine she'd ordered two weeks ago—after determining the current engine was a dud with no hope for revival and begrudgingly admitting Iggy was right—came in late. On top of that, it's missing a crucial component; the cooling fan.
When she contacted the ordering center to politely complain; she received dead ends, static hold music that sounded more like demonic chanting, and robotic voice calls which she took as meaning she was on her own.
Maybe she could ask Toad for his old engine? If that's even possible with how stingy he's being with his help. He gets so arrogant when he's determined to win. He believes any show of kindness tips the scale in his competition's favor. He's not even using his old kart.
Toadette should just return the whole engine and reorder a new one. Although, would it even make it in time and have all the proper parts? Four to seven business days could translate to weeks if she attempted to place a reorder. It took nearly two weeks to finally get her engine in the first place!
Toadette groans frustratingly, staring at the air filters she can't attach to her kart without a functional engine. Is she in over her head? Maybe she could settle with the stupid standard kart again and try next time. Of course, knowing Iggy, he'd definitely say something sarcastic about her lack of mechanical skills if she decided to give up.
She's startled out of her dour thoughts and miserable mood by a loud noise as Iggy—creepy how he shows up just after she thinks of him—scrambles into her work area. The Koopaling tears through the scrap metal and discarded rusted parts snickering gleefully as his eyes dart frantically around the garage.
She opens her mouth, prepared to give him an earful—she's not in the mood at all to deal with him—when he places a finger over his lips and dives behind a stack of monster truck tires. The same monster truck wheels Toad would use for his sneaker kart before he switched to a bike.
Perplexed, Toadette scrunches her face and wonders if she's dozed off and has been thrown into a nightmare or the Karma from all the times she'd swatted at an innocent little fly are coming back to haunt her.
Why is Iggy back?
Better yet: what is he hiding from?
Toadette's answer comes storming in, stomping his feet against the pavement shouting out Iggy's name combined with vulgar insults she'd never recite again. Even with shades blocking crucial parts of his expression; Roy's scowling mouth lined with pointy fangs tells the entire story. That, and all the glitter and confetti stuck to his entire body like a second layer of scales.
If she wanted her own disco ball she could dangle his shiny body from the ceiling and throw a party.
Toadette bites back a laugh, pretending to be preoccupied with her kart. Picking up miscellaneous parts, she appears to be extremely busy even though that's further from the case. Maybe if she remains quiet; she won't be dragged into this mess.
Ludwig and Lemmy rush in after him, both frazzled and breathless. They obviously have been chasing their brother around the entire maze of garages.
Lemmy is poorly hiding his giggles as he apologizes for his mischievous brother's newest prank. Though, a fleeting thought whispers he may not be as innocent as he's playing. Ludwig, the more civil one, is attempting to calm Roy's ire with a vocabulary so profound; Toadette struggles to catch up.
"Where are you, you idiot?" Roy shouts, head flicking wildly in every direction. "I'll kill you! My new bike is covered in glitter because of you!"
"Roy, please, Lord Bowser told us not to cause any scenes. We're here as guests," Ludwig speaks firmly over his brother's snarls. He stresses out each word in hopes Roy will grasp at any of it before he surrenders to his unchecked acrimony and starts swinging.
"That rule only means we don't bully Mario and his stupid friends, but it doesn't apply to Iggy. I'm gonna kill him when I see him. He thinks he's so damn funny."
Without his target in sight, Roy directs all his frustrations towards a very prodding and overbearing Ludwig. They begin to vociferously squabble, voices growing in octane the longer they bicker. Toadette helplessly wonders what she's ever done to deserve this.
She sends a silent glare to the tires Iggy is currently hiding behind, probably enjoying his brother's irritation. She could tell Roy where Iggy is, but then she'd have to deal with talking to him and the aftermath.
Roy, obnoxiously ambitious, would definitely start a fight to get sweet, sweet revenge. The garage would become a war zone within minutes. It also means she'd have to start a conversation with Roy too. She grimaces at the thought of initiating such an interaction.
At least Iggy's words don't sound like hidden threats when he speaks to her. She cannot say the same for Roy. He always sounds like he's ready to be insulted and is eager to retaliate and punch something. She'd take Iggy's sardonic remarks over Roy's tough guy charade any day. She never cared much for the bad boy trope in those soap operas she and the Princess indulge in.
Lemmy sighs audibly, sharing her pain, shaking his head like a disappointed mother. He sifts a hand through his technicolor Mohawk, seemingly bored of his brothers' unnecessary argument. He spots Toadette first, eyes widening in surprise since no one seems to have noticed they're currently in her garage bothering her with their dispute.
Lemmy's shock morphs to something more sincere as he sends her an apologetic little smile she manages to catch out of the corner of her eyes. She pretends not to notice at first, tweaking the screws of her kart until she hesitantly directs her eyes to him, returning his kind gesture. She doesn't hold his gaze for very long; she'd hate for it to grow more awkward than it already is.
"Hey!"
The sharp bite of Roy's voice startles her. Toadette jumps, nearly dropping the torque wrench in her greasy hands. She whips her head towards Roy, pigtails bobbing, and glares.
"Have you seen Iggy around here?" Roy presses too firmly for her liking, taking a few steps towards her until Ludwig grabs his arm like he's afraid Roy's about to attack.
His bullying tactics won't persuade her into spilling anything and she firmly stands her ground, unafraid. She frowns deeply, matching his irritation with her own.
"Am I supposed to know who that is?" she asks, feigning ignorance.
Roy growls, fists clenched. "Don't play dumb with me, Pigtails. You know who I'm talking about."
She returns her attention back to her kart with an exasperated huff. "I haven't seen your brother. I was working on my kart until you barged in here and started yelling."
"See, Roy? Iggy isn't here. Let's go." Ludwig drags him along towards the open garage door, but Roy growls and yanks his arm away.
"He's dead when I see him," he vows darkly—to himself, Iggy, his brothers, or the stars above; Toadette cannot say with certainty. Perhaps a combination of all four.
Ludwig rolls his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, let's go clean you up. You're blinding me every time you catch the light." He snickers at his own joke, picking off a few larger pieces of confetti on Roy's contorted features.
Roy, unsurprisingly, isn't humored at all as he lightly slaps Ludwig's hand away. Toadette can tell the exact moment his anger shifts to something more akin to embarrassment. He's no longer snarling like a feral maniac. His contorted face gains more of a pinkish hue. The bright rosy shade dusting his peachy muzzle makes the glitter and confetti plastered on him all the more noticeable. He's practically the same shade as his sunglasses.
"This isn't funny!" Roy half-growls, half-whines.
Lemmy, having been silent for most of the argument, chortles as he adds cheerfully whilst patting his brother's meaty arm, "It is, you giant disco ball."
Roy groans in defeat, massaging his forehead with the pads of his fingers. He shakes his head once and drags his feet as he sulks away. His brothers follow behind with poorly concealed smiles and barely silent snickers. They're probably sharing more creative nicknames amongst themselves.
When the three Koopalings are a safe distance from the garage, Iggy crawls out from his hiding spot with a giant grin on his face.
He dusts off the invisible dirt from his knees then fixes his thick frames, beaming from his accomplishment like a proud father. Toadette isn't as giddy at being interrupted, casting him a heated glare. She had endured Roy's wrath because of him and his stupid games.
"You're terrible," she deadpans, unamused.
Iggy cackles, snorting out laughter until his face flushes pink and he gasps for air. She ignores his outburst, wiping her hands free of grease before reaching for her water bottle and taking a sip. Part of her hopes he passes out from asphyxiation or laughs himself into a coma because she'd definitely leave his unconscious body on the ground.
"He deserved it," Iggy snickers into his hands, still breathless. He takes in a big gulp of air, wiping away nonexistent tears. "He keeps running his mouth about winning like the trophy is already in his hands. This was simply me knocking his ego down a few pegs. Gotta keep the competition in check."
She isn't convinced in the slightest. "So you covered him in glitter?"
"It was better than my first idea. He probably wouldn't have survived what I had planned for him."
Toadette's dry expression turns to one of horror after he admits this so casually. Iggy rolls his eyes, swatting away her fears with a snort and a waving hand.
"I'm kidding," he says. A huge lapse of silence passes, then he mumbles, "Sorta." He perks back up. "Thanks for covering for me by the way."
"It wasn't for you," she remarks coldly.
He laughs because everything is just so funny to him. Showing him contempt? Hilarious. Threatening to kick him out? Gut-busting. Watching someone cry? He'd probably pass out from laughing too hard.
Toadette expects Iggy to leave after her frigid attitude. Intead, he chooses to hover around, flittering across the garage like he's at an art exhibit studying the masterpieces. He eyes the collection of 'girly' posters she hung on the walls.
It's a random cluster of interests: cute animals in ribbons, favorite boy bands and girl groups, and even one of Mario she had him sign as a joke. (This is what she told him; she actually does find him a teensy bit dreamy and heroic.)
The dull white colors of the garage walls were driving her mad; their unspiried and bland coloration were beginning to stall her creative process. She had to do something. Toad wasn't very fond of her remodeling though. He conceded to the eye-catching color palette when he found a new garage to work in.
Besides Toadette's vain attempts at adding more personality to the garage, the rest of it is conventional. She has the basic tools and machinery supplied by sponsors and the necessities she packed.
The only furniture she can claim is hers is the pastel pink wood bench she hand painted herself. She brought it from home, resting it against the wall under her favorite New Donk City popstar. She eats her lunch there or takes a quick breather to clear her headspace when she needs it.
Eventually, Iggy ends up somewhere behind her, watching her work. She experiences a pang of self-consciousness. She's not doing much of anything. It's definitely not interesting enough for him to inspect so critically. Realistically, she's fiddling around with the bolts, tightening them because she has nothing else to do.
She slightly flinches when he speaks up.
"Did ya take my very helpful advice?" Iggy asks, elbow brushing against hers as he examines her work over his shoulder.
Toadette frowns, suddenly feeling suffocated. He must not understand personal space. Still, she answers him. "The engine on the kart was busted, like you said, and the engine I ordered to replace it is missing the cooling fan."
Iggy snorts, fixing his glasses as he peers down at the worthless engine on the back of her kart. "You kinda need that."
"Yeah, I know," she sighs, leaning back and purposely bumps her bulbous head against him. It forces him to step back. Good. "I don't know if I should just order another one or see if anyone has a spare part."
"I have a spare engine from my old kart you could use."
Toadette whips her head around so fast she experiences a momentary dizzy spell. He's still close enough to her that her pigtails nearly whack him in the face. Sadly, they miss by a few centimeters.
She gawks up at him. "What?"
"I have a spare you can use," he repeats, meeting her confused gaze, "think of it as a token of my gratitude for not ratting me out to my lovely brother. You've postponed an otherwise terrible encounter and gave me some time to plan my next move."
She narrows her eyes at him suspiciously. "It's not gonna blow up, is it?"
His wide-eyed stare gleams and he smiles like the idea excites him. "Not unless you want it to," he purrs.
What is wrong with him?
Reluctantly, Toadette agrees and accepts his offer if only to quell her curiosity. Iggy brings the engine to her without the aid of any minions to assist him, lugging it over his shoulder. When he presents it to her like a prize from a game show, she's even more convinced it's a trap. He leaves after, claiming he has work to do on his own kart then rushes out of the garage.
When he's finally gone, she bolts to the supply cabinet. She spends a few minutes hiding inside, peeking through the crack. She expects the engine to explode or transform into a killer robot and destroy her garage. Nothing that insane happens.
Nervously chuckling to herself, she tentatively leaves the safety of the cabinet. She slowly starts to tiptoe towards the engine, wincing at the sound of her squeaky shoes like the sounds will wake the engine up.
Again. Nothing happens. Finally satisfied it isn't some elaborate trap, Toadette investigates the part. With extreme amounts of caution, of course. Immediately she thinks she should return it the more she inspects it.
It's an expensive model, barely used at all, and modded to the max by a genius. Would using it be cheating?
She sighs, resting an elbow on top of the engine and lays a cheek in her cupped hand. She debates this question for an unspecified amount of time, listening to the cacophony of roars from engines outside at the practice track and Waluigi and Wario in a heated debate three garages down the lane.
After a half an hour of back and forth internal debates, Toadette decides to keep it. If this isn't a prank then it'd be rude not to use it. He did haul the thing over here. She'll tweak it a little, add her own personality to it, and make it more hers than his.
Is Iggy actually being nice? lol. no. Will Roy ever get his revenge? Yeah. Probably.
The best part about splitting this up is that I feel like I've accomplished something. I just think, "aw, yeah. next part is done." And, like, yeah, my dude… it's been done. Now, about that other chapter if Playlist you haven't touched in weeks… ehehe…
