StarlitDuck
Thank you for giving me this whole idea in the first place. I'll admit, I was nervous to cover dark themes like this, but it felt really satisfying writing the last chapter and finishing the Alpha Pandora arc. So all in all, thank you for this!
nintendoscript15
AP was taking advantage of himself being Alex. Imagine if you had a brainwashed and crazy best friend psychologically breaking you down before trying to kill you. You know deep down it's not them, but seeing the words come out of their mouth makes it so your feelings don't see the difference. Mario has a lot to think about.
Nataly Guardado
He might need therapy after this.
FairyTalePrincess16
Yeah. Sorry that I've been rather slow in updating these chapters as of late. I'll do my best to speed up the process now that summer's here. Your patience is very appreciated!
Those insults were supposed to make you feel that way, just as Mario felt. We can only hope that poor Alex can be fixed.
breath20k
Not much to say, but thanks!
Amethyst Goldenwind
What you say about Mario is entirely true. This is a lesson we should all learn. Thank you for sharing your morals.
KazamaFam2006
No. That IS the real Alex. Just extremely mechanically modified.
Believe me. This is just the beginning when it comes to intense fight scenes.
LiamTheYoshi
Oh, don't worry about that. As long as it's not too violent, it's okay. In fact, when StarlitDuck and I were discussing how AP's battle would go down, she at one point suggested an attack that probably would've raised this story's rating. I denied it.
C. T. Genius
Glad you enjoyed the battle! Let's see what challenges await ahead for our galactic friends.
gfr091702
I can't promise that since it's difficult to think up ideas. But I'll see what I can do.
Chapter 23: The Fiery Stronghold
[BGM: Bowser Appears - Super Mario Galaxy]
?
As Mario and Aster defeated Alpha Pandora, Bowser was watching the whole thing from the top of his imperial fortress, in his newly built Star Reactor. The whole Battlerock exploded as the three left with the stars in hand. The king growled as he stomped his foot in rage.
"GRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRR!" bellowed Bowser. "I can't believe it! My allies brainwashed one of Mario's closest friends, had him launch verbal insults to break him down, and he STILL WON!"
Bowser turned to the Grand Star behind him, giving him a little smirk. "Those two are getting stronger by the second. It looks like I'll have to take matters into my own hands."
The king chuckled as he got a hold of the Star, and a powerful light surged through his body.
[BGM end]
Fountain
As the two arrived back at the Observatory with Alex's unconscious body, Mario was still feeling a little off. He knows he should be happy because they finally saved Alex, but somehow, no matter how much he tried to think of something positive, he just couldn't. Aster noticed this behavior and laid a hand on his shoulder.
"Mario, we'll do what we can to help your friend. I promise! But for now, we need to focus on-"
"That's not it…" Mario interrupted.
Aster put on a puzzled look. "Then… what is it?"
"It's… well… it's kinda… sort of like…"
Mario didn't know whether he should say it or not. Aster may have earned his trust, but they're still getting to know each other. Would he understand his pain?
"When Alex… was brainwashed, he… said some things," Mario finally blurted.
"What things?" asked his friend.
Mario stood as still as a statue for a minute. He tensed up as those demeaning words Alpha Pandora said came up in his mind again. He just couldn't get it out of his head, no matter how much he wanted to forget it. Not even the soothing sounds of the fountain could ease his tension.
"He said… things that made me reflect… reflect on all the worst things I have done in my life," he murmured quietly.
"Do you… want to talk about it?" Aster sat down with him.
Mario let his mind wander for a bit, only hearing the sounds of the running water falling from the holes and the walls, and feeling said water through his feet. With a sigh, he finally spoke.
"Ever since I started… my career as the Mushroom Kingdom's savior… I always thought of myself as someone special. A true hero who will always be there for others. A paragon who everyone can look up to. A pure soul…" He explained, only to start tearing up. "But then… Ale- no, Alpha… p-pointed out all of my… indecent qualities… from how much I pride myself… to my imp-pulsiveness… and how I-I can't change the w-world, or m-myself… no matter what I do…"
A tear fell down into the water below him, sending out ripples from where it landed, through said ripples, the plumber saw his own reflection frowning back at him.
"I'm not who I thought I was… My heroism… was it all a lie?"
Aster gave him a hug. "Let me tell you something. As much as I hate to be 'that guy', I… honestly think he had a point."
Mario's eyes popped out and he pushed him away. "You mean to tell me you AGREE with the enemy?! ARE YOU NUTS?! HE NEARLY KILLED ME!"
"Believe me, I didn't wanna think it was true. But I've seen many things over my travels in the universe. It was a long, lonely journey filled with heartbreak and pain. It made me realize that no one is perfect! They just see themselves as an ideal version of themselves that could only exist in fairytales, while they constantly deny their more naturally selfish nature. Some people such as you and me keep it hidden with more kind and selfless acts, which could only be possible through authority and discipline. Others such as Bowser and Topmaniac have no light in them and fully embrace the darkness within their hearts. That's just how nature works. Even the nicest person you've ever met has had at least one or two moral hiccups."
Mario crossed his arms and turned his back. "That's absurd! You're right about some parts, but not EVERYONE is like that!"
"I want you to be honest with me, Mario. How many things have you done in the past that you regret now?" Aster questioned.
Mario's eyebrows softened up and sank down again. "Well…"
1 year ago…
Mario forcefully took off FLUDD and shoved him into Aqua's hands. Visible horror planted the girl's face. "Mario, what are you-?!"
Mario interrupted "You wanna know so bad?! DO YA?! Then let him explain! He knows more than I do!"
"Mario, what is wro-?! FLUDD said.
"You shut up! I'm tired of being the one having to carry all the weight in all this chaos! First I get depressed just hearing what this girl had to go through, then I get arrested for a crime I didn't even commit, I'm constantly getting shocked by those horrible policemen, and then Peach gets kidnapped for the I-don't-even-care-illionth time! All the while, I'm forced to keep a smile on my face just for HER sake!" Mario ranted. "Do you know how stressful that is, FLUDD?! Do you think that's even FAIR?!"
"I understand your stress, Mario, but…"
"NO! YOU WOULD NEVER UNDERSTAND MY PAIN! YOU'RE JUST A ROBOT FOR CRYING OUT LOUD! ROBOT'S DON'T HAVE REAL FEELINGS! THEY JUST EXIST TO HELP PEOPLE, BUT NOT EVEN THEY COULD HELP ME!"
"Wh-Wha-?"
"I'VE HAD ENOUGH! LET'S SEE YOU CARRY ALL THIS WEIGHT ON YOUR BACK AND BE THE HEROES YOURSELVES!"
The plumber threw his hat down on the floor and ran to a street corner to let the tears flow.
[BGM: Trophy Celebration-Luigi - Mario Power Tennis]
3 months ago…
"Ladies and Gentlemen, put your hands together and give it up for our Power Tennis Singles Champion-Luigi Franco Mario!"
Mario stood near the stands applauding with everyone else, watching his brother happily claim his trophy. However, an unpleasant feeling welled at the back of his throat, those treacherous thoughts churning in his mind.
!"Mamma Mia… Why did I have to lose… to him of all people…?" he muttered. "I should be the one up there! I'mma player one! I'm this kingdom's hero!"
He really tried to be a good sport, knowing that he SHOULD be happy for him, but those ugly thoughts kept circulating in his mind. He decided enough was enough. Mario walked up to the stand, sarcastically clapping to his bro.
"Whoo hoo! Hey Luigi!" said the red plumber, though something about his tone of voice felt… off.
Luigi didn't catch the hint though and smiled at him. "Hey, bro! Listen, I wanna thank you for giving me a good match and this wonderful opportunity. I wouldn't be here right now if it weren't for you. I can only imagine how proud you must be of me now!"
"Oh yes! I'm SOOO happy for you!" Mario slapped his bro in the back a couple of times. "You're-a number one!"
"Ow! Ow! Easy with the congrats, br- OW! OW! OWWW!" Luigi looked down in horror to see Mario's foot, grinding his own foot into the ground, all while his brother laughed like a madman… and everyone was watching!
"B-Bro?" Luigi whimpered in pain. "Wh-Why?!"
"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
[BGM end]
Present…
Mario covered his face, not wishing to show all the 'Star Bits' falling from his eyes. "M-More than I-I can count."
Aster didn't say anything. He just nodded with indifference plastered all over his face. Mario kept his gaze away from the space explorer as he picked up Alex.
"But I've changed since then!" Mario argued. "I'm a better man, and I won't make mistakes like that again!" Then he stormed out of the room. As Aster followed, a few words came to mind.
"Keep saying that all you want. It doesn't change the truth."
[BGM: Rosalina in the Observatory 1]
Comet Observatory
Meanwhile, Rosalina was at the map screen with her eyes (or at least the eye we could see) closed. She was sitting down on the floor with her knees bent, joints facing forward, and holding up her upper body. Her hands laid on top of her resting legs, and her wand laid beside her on the glass floor. If one listened closely, you could hear her humming a slow and somber tune. One's mind would wander around trying to figure out what Rosie could possibly be thinking about.
"Rosie!"
She stopped her meditation and opened her eyes upon hean hearing her assistant's voice.
"Hmm?"
"They're back."
Polari floated back in front of the map as the duo approached the cosmic protector.
"Oh honey, you're back!" she happily greeted as she stood up again.
"In the flesh," replied her husband. "We got Mario's friend. But we also found something interesting."
He held out the green Power Star. Rosalina was initially confused about the odd coloring of the star. Polari on the other hand, was bouncing his body up and down in elation.
"No way! You found a Doorway Star?!" he exclaimed.
Rosalina turned to Polari. "You know this thing, Polari?"
"Yes! These stars have a special power!" Polari explained. "They are so rare. Only THREE of them exist in the entire universe! They say that if one were to find all of them, the doorway to the Trial Galaxies will open."
"Trial Galaxies?" Mario wondered.
"Hmm… can't say I've heard of them…" Aster shrugged. "And I thought I've explored every galaxy in this universe."
"I think there's a book that can tell you more about them. C'mon! I'll show you!" Polari was about to lead them to the Library, only to stop himself when he saw that the east side of the space station was still swallowed up by complete darkness. "Oops! Heh heh…" Polari chuckled with a drop of sweat. "Still need more juice."
[BGM end]
"Um… Can we change the subject? I'm worried about my friend here," Mario said as he laid Alex on the floor.
"Step aside." Rosalina leaned down and telepathically examined the child using her wand. "I sense consciousness returning to him. Now listen, Mario. After all the events that had transpired, I cannot imagine your friend would feel comfortable waking up to complete strangers such as me and my husband. So I need you to take him over to the flower fields in front of the Terrace and reassure him that he is safe before we start with the introductions."
"Got it!" Mario did just as she told him.
He gently placed Alex's cold, cybertronic body on the flower bed, making sure he was comfortable. As a minute passed, he listened to Alex's breathing and heaved a sigh of relief knowing that he'll at least be physically okay. However, seeing his brother still wearing the cybertronic armor he had as his evil persona made the horrific images in his head flash so hard, he felt migraines pulsating through his head at light speed. He desperately wanted to take it off, but feared that it could physically damage him, so he decided he'd leave it to the professionals.
"Please wake up..." Mario murmured. Suddenly, Alex started twitching all over, concerning Mario. He didn't know whether Alex was having a nightmare or suffering from a side effect of being brainwashed.
[BGM: Danger - Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story]
Before Mario knew it, Alex flung himself up, screaming bloody murder. "NO! DON'T HURT ME, MARIO!"
Mario immediately hugged Alex to calm him down; Alex was shaking a bit from whatever nightmare he had. Mario teared up, relieved that Alex was all right, but didn't get too emotional.
"Hey. It's okay, buddy. It was just a nightmare," Mario coaxed Alex.
"No! This is no nightmare!" Alex pulled himself off Mario. "You tried to kill me! What did I do for you to beat me up like that?!"
"Shh. Easy, Alex. You're getting yourself worked up."
"Yeah! I was afraid for my life because of you! I can't-"
"Breathe, Alex. Please."
[BGM end]
Alex tried to take some deep breaths, struggling at first, but calmed down after some time.
"Listen to me," Mario began. "You went through a whole lot since Bowser ruined the Star Festival. While I was out trying to find you, a group of robots held you captive and brainwashed you, literally turning you into-"
"'Brainwashed'? What does that mean?" Alex asked.
"Well… To make it simple, the robots put a mind control chip in your brain and used it to turn you into a cyborg called Alpha Pandora. You were also tricked into thinking your sister and Luigi were dead because I couldn't save them," Mario explained. "Not to mention..."
Mario stopped himself, remembering how he was insulted by AP.
"You... You said all those things that really hurt my feelings… B-But I know you didn't mean to—"
"I still don't understand-"
[BGM: Sad Girl]
Before Alex could say more, it started to sink in. He heard him as AP insulting Mario in his head and visualized himself fighting Mario and that guy who was with him. Alex then looked at his cyborg body, seeing the arm cannon and rocket boots still attached. He started sobbing out of guilt and fell into Mario's arms.
"I'm sorry, Mario...! This is all my fault...!"
"No, it isn't," Mario said softly. "It wasn't you."
"No...! I'm nothing but a killer...! J-Just look at me!" Alex cried as he stared down to himself. The pain of not being able to recognize himself anymore stabbed him in the heart.
"You're not a killer, Alex. I know you would never try to hurt a friend like me."
"But I did...! I yelled at you about all of your worst aspects, all because you couldn't save us from Bowser's wrath...! I-I held a blade to your chest...!" Alex protested.
"I know. But it was Alpha Pandora who did that to me, not you," Mario said. "I knew you were trying to fight it. Trust me, you're still the hero I've come to know over the years."
"No I'm not! I'm not a hero... I'm not a Super Mario Brother... I'm a nobody who hurts people for no reason..."
Mario laid Alex on his back and held his hand.
"Please, Alex. I'm trying to make you feel better. Everything's over-"
"No, it's not...! I'm going crazy...!" Alex argued. He immediately felt a sharp pain in his right ear where the black chip was inserted and grabbed it. "Just go away...! My ear hurts bad...!"
Mario let out a disappointed sigh. "I don't know what else to do. You just need to relax for a while."
By now, Alex couldn't speak, only letting out a painful whimper. Mario gently put a blanket over Alex, wondering what to do next. He didn't want to leave Alex by himself, but at the same time, he felt the need to give Alex his space. Mario eventually decided to wait a short distance away from the flower bed.
He went back to Aster and Rosalina, who saw the whole thing. He wanted to say something, but a sick feeling of guilt was keeping him from letting out anything except tears.
"You did what you could," the lady lamented. "But it appears Alex's traumatic experience won't be leaving him for a while. I can't say how long though."
"Me neither. I'm not even sure if I should go over and talk to Alex," Aster responded. "I mean, AP saw me as a traitor given our past with the Topman Tribe. I don't want to know what'll happen if I try to reason with him."
"Just… leave him alone for now, guys," Mario dismissed. "He needs his space."
[BGM: Bowser's Stronghold Appears]
All of a sudden the same alarm from last time goes off. Polari, in a panic, checked the monitor again to see a horrible sight. A nearby galaxy was pulsating with massive energy spikes, and the threat levels were through the roofs with this one.
"HOLY SUPERNOVAS! MASSIVE ENERGY SPIKES HAVE BEEN DETECTED! WHAT ARE THEY DOING THERE?!" Polari screamed.
"How much this time?" Rosalina asked in a calm but serious tone.
"I CAN'T FIGURE IT OUT! BUT THEY'RE MUCH BIGGER THAN LAST TIME! THAT'S FOR SURE!"
"That's not a good sign!" Aster grabbed Mario's arm again. "We've gotta go NOW!"
Mario was about to comply and let Aster pull him over to the fountain, but then he saw Alex still whimpering at the flower field and covering his ears over the noise of the alarm.
"No!" denied Mario as he shoved him off.
"What?! But Mario, this is an emergency, and he's YOUR enemy!"
"I'm not gonna leave Alex alone with people who are total strangers to him! You go! I'll catch up later!"
Aster felt a little nervous about this, since if Mario fought Bowser before, he'd know how to deal with him. But at the same tie, he WAS more powerful thanks to the Grand Star, which he was familiar with, so maybe Aster would know how to deal with him without Mario's help. Not to mention, Alex has been through a lot and could use some familiar faces around.
Without saying anything, he just nodded to the plumber and left for the fountain… alone…
Fountain
He checked the interface again, revealing a new enemy base, Bowser's Star Reactor. Much like the last enemy base, this one stood out by being at the edge of the galactic system in the outer asteroid belt, and would rise above and sink below the other orbits. Aster selected the new galaxy and flew towards it.
[BGM: Course Select - Super Mario Galaxy]
Bowser's Star Reactor
Entering through the cloudy outer layer of this galaxy's thick red atmosphere, Aster didn't have much time to think as a fleet of airships greeted him.
"INTRUDER ALERT! SECURE THE AREA IMMEDIATELY! FIRE AT WILL!"
"Not this time!" he thought as the cannons fired meteors. He swiftly dodged them through performing barrel rolls that shifted his movement on the Launch Star's path. The cosmic guardian took to his footing at a large pipe-shaped entrance.
[BGM end]
Aster took a moment to examine the area that awaited ahead of him. Suddenly, his mind picked up a signal. He could hear a strange sound coming from a large tower in the distance. Three short twinkles, three longer twinkles, and another three short twinkles.
"The Grand Star… I can feel it nearby…" Aster said in his thoughts. "But this place is no doubt filled with all sorts of traps and tricks. I'll have to be smart about this."
[BGM: The Fiery Stronghold (Remix of Koopa's Road) - Super Mario Galaxy]
The first part of the level wasn't too bad. Just a twisted blue, green, yellow, and orange road made of steel. The gravity on it was rather wonky, but it was totally normal by Aster's standards. There was even a 1-up halfway through which he happily accepted.
At the end of the path, was a carpeted straight hallway made out of stone, a few easy-to-avoid firebars stood in his way. There was also a small set of stairs with a Thwomp in the way, constantly smashing onto the floor over and over again as if it were trying to kill a cockroach. Aster stood on the step below the Thwomp, waiting for it to move out of the way. Once it did rise up though, something came up to his nose. Is that… smoke?
"Is something burning?" Aster asked himself, when he looked back and… a Fire Pressure bearing resemblance to a certain water pump was shooting flames at his backside.
"Oh, well that's… waaaaiiiit…" Silence befallen him for a second. Aster then screamed bloody murder as he fired himself into the air and then landed behind the Thwomp rolling over the ground.
"S-s-son of a-!" He then slapped himself as his back was cooled down. "Get ahold of yourself, Aster. That wasn't very holy of you."
Next up, he stepped onto a green steel platform which flipped over as he was taken to the next area. The gravity there was all out of whack. The walls were either blue with arrows pointing downwards, or pink with arrows pointing upwards. Just like those areas back in Good Egg and Battlerock.
"I'm glad I didn't take Mario here. He'd complain like there's no tomorrow!"
Worse still, there were rotating firebars and even black holes all over the place, so Aster had to be cautious about it. One particular part required him to wait for a moving platform to reach him. If he missed it, a lightless grave would await him. At the very end of this section, a yellow platform took Aster to the final section surrounding the imperial fortress. After traversing a round firebar area with a few Star Bits and another 1-up, he arrived on a red carpet floor surrounded by fences. All of the obstacles he had to avoid so far were combined on this final stretch, yet it was still easy to dodge. The obstacles were over with once the terrain he stood on changed to a white and green chess pattern. The Grand Star's signal in his head was strong at this point. He could hear it screaming internally, as if it were being tortured.
"Gee, that's it? If there were any advice I'd give to this Bowser, it would be to make your dungeons longer!" Aster complained.
Aster looked up to the top of the tower. He couldn't see any light coming from the Grand Star, nor was there any sign of Bowser. What did catch his eye was that the tower was surrounded by three red dwarf stars. And above it was a strange transparent planet with green and brown plates, glass domes on the surface, and the inside appeared to be lava. Somehow, the signal was coming from that very planet.
"Just what is he planning…?"
[BGM end]
Aster didn't have much time to think, though. Because what happened next startled his thoughts.
"GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWRRRR!"
And what do you know? The koopa king himself showed up right on top of the tower.
"You're quite bold to enter my domain and get through my traps in one piece. BUT YOUR JOURNEY ENDS HERE!" Bowser warned as he fired up the flames within.
Once he charged up, Bowser breathed not fire, but METEORS!
[BGM: The Big Staircase - Super Mario Galaxy]
"HOLY-!" Aster was cut off when a meteor slammed right into the floor he was standing on, cracking it into the pieces. This was no time for talk. He had to MOVE! Aster hurried up the stairs as more platforms were cracked and soon disintegrated. He wasted no time in getting the Life Mushroom as that just wasn't worth it at the moment.
At the last step, Aster slipped and fell, but quickly got up as Bowser fired the last meteor and he landed onto Bowser's tower. The two stood on opposite ends, staring attentively into the other's eyes. The silence lasted for half a minute, and the tense moment was starting to grate on Aster's patience.
[BGM: Bowser Appears - Super Mario Galaxy]
"BWAHAHAHA!" Bowser gloatingly cackled as the silence was broken. "You finally made it!" His confident expression then shifted over to one of skepticism. The person he was facing sort of looked like his arch-enemy. But his black hair, and different mustache clearly said otherwise.
"You're not… Mario…" The king scratched his head. "What are you… another brother? His cousin? Uncle? Err…"
"None of the above. But you could say I'm… associated with him. King Bowser, I presume?" Aster said politely.
The mention of his name immediately brought the oversized koopa back into his usual cocky demeanor. "You know it! King of the Koopas, and soon to be emperor of the entire universe!"
Aster was already feeling disgusted by this guy. On one hand, he was repulsed by the type of power he had already taken and what sort of horrific things he could be planning. On the other hand, something felt… terribly familiar about him.
"Speaking of Mario, where is that pasta eating punk? Too scared of facing me after I sent him on that sky diving trip the other day?" the king mocked as he giggled a little.
"He…" Aster paused for a brief second. "That's none of your business! You stole something extremely valuable to my family, and I order you to return them immediately!"
"Oh, you mean this?" Bowser held out his left hand. A swirling mass took form above it and manifested itself into a portal, showing the Grand Star completely drained of its power encased inside molten hot lava.
"You… you…YOU…!" Aster couldn't find the words, but it was an inexplicable horror he was witnessing in his eyes.
"Bwahahaha! I never got a chance to thank you for these Power Stars. They're WAY more powerful than the one's back on that blue planet I used to call home." He turned his back to his new enemy as he looked towards the miniature stars surrounding his fortress "With these, I've been expanding my empire to places I couldn't even imagine before. This Star Reactor has been attracting nearby Solar Systems, draining the stars of their fuel and forcing their planets to fall under my rule. I'll be unstoppable! So if you think I'm ever gonna return your little gift, my friend, TOUGH LUCK!"
Aster groaned in frustration. He was about this close to walking over and kicking him in the tail. But then one question came to mind.
"Wh-Why are you even doing all this anyways?!"
Unknown to Aster, this made Bowser's demeanor drop as his eyeballs popped out and a frown formed on his muzzle.
"Just what is it that you want out of all this?! What's your major goal?!" Aster continued to ask, forming sweat on the koopa's face.
"That's… um…" he hesitated, still facing away from his foe. He didn't say anything for a while… until he put on a more serious face. "It's none of your business… You wouldn't understand anyways."
Aster grew furious. "It IS my business! Those are MY stars you're using!"
Bowser took a deep breath, smiled wickedly again, and turned back. "You really want those stars back, do ya? I suppose I COULD give you the one I've got. But you'll have to earn it…"
Aster had enough of talking to this repulsive creature and simply nodded.
[BGM end]
"Very well then…" He slowly clenched his fists, as did Aster. "Allow me to show you just what my newfound power can do…" Suddenly, his eyes and fists glowed in a purple aura. "...as I stomp you into space bits!"
[BGM: King Bowser - Super Mario Galaxy]
With that out of the way, Bowser stomped his foot onto the ground and let out a mighty roar. Bits and pieces of the tower fell up and our hero felt his feet get lifted off the ground. Both adversaries fall towards the planet that was mentioned earlier, the very Star Reactor this galaxy is named after. And the fight began. Bowser first jumped into the air, and then slammed back down, releasing a single shockwave that Aster simply jumped over. Next up, he attempted to ground pound onto him, but it was slow enough for him to simply walk out of the way.
Aster was starting to get bored of dodging his attacks and started scanning the area for weaknesses to exploit. Then he remembered the glass domes on the planet with lava below them, lighting up an idea. He stood over a dome and waited for Bowser to spot him. Then once he homed in on the superstar, he stepped out of the way before Bowser broke the dome, exposing the lava underneath.
Bowser caught a whiff of something in his nostrils soon after. "Is that… smoke?" The king looked back, and to his horror, his tail was on fire.
*cue choir*
"Oh, it's just my tail… MY TAIL?! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" he screamed loud enough to shake the entire planet. And yes, I mean that literally.
Aster couldn't help but chuckle as he watched the almighty king of the koopas, running around while crying and screaming in sheer agony. Hasn't anyone ever taught him "Stop, Drop, and Roll"?
"What an idiot!" he fought to himself. Then he ran up to Bowser's tail and kicked it from behind. This took out the fire, but also flipped him over, making his spikes retract and resulting in him spinning and rolling all over the floor.
*cue whistles*
"WHOA! WHOA! WHOA! WHOA! WHOA!"
Aster then kicked him one more time, and he fell to the floor.
*normal*
Bowser groaned as he dizzily picked himself up.
"You're gonna have to do better than that if you want so much as to impress me, mortal!" Aster teased, making his foe regain his focus.
"Wise guy, huh? ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!" he bellowed. "Challenge accepted!"
Bowser fired up his breath again and spewed fireballs all over the planet. The gravity helped them to wrap around the planet a few times. One fireball hit the man off guard, but he used a spare coin he had to heal that health. Next, Bowser pounded the ground thrice to release three shockwaves. Then, he started doing that ground pound move again, which Aster exploited using the domes once again.
*cue choir*
Again, Bowser's tail was set on fire, Aster sent him rolling then dealt another hit on him.
"Has he learned nothing from the last time?" Aster bewilderedly imagined.
*normal*
Bowser got up again and centered a serious death glare on Aster. "You…" Aster didn't speak this time and just put on his guard. And rightfully so, because now Bowser's eyes and hands glowed purple. The king jumped into the air, now having nebula-sized fury. "ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!" he bellowed so loudly that the planet once again shook.
To mark how dead serious he was, Bowser spewed fireballs out of his mouth at a faster rate. Then he pounded on to the ground eight times to release eight shockwaves. Next up, Bowser's arms glowed purple as he unleashed a new attack, a deadly spinning attack where he launched himself forward while spinning around… not too much unlike Mario. And he was doing this attack constantly, so no more ground pounding.
"Damn, I must've jinxed myself with that last comment! This is where the true power of the Grand Star comes in… I gotta get him to hit the domes again. Think…"
Then he decided to slide underneath Bowser while he was spinning to trip him over. It was risky but it actually worked! Bowser slammed right into the dome and set his tail on fire again. Same as the last two times, but now Aster had to kick Bowser rolling around a second time but even faster.
[BGM end]
He never understood how satisfaction truly felt until he made that final kick to the king! This turned off the Star Reactor's gravity, sending them both back down to the fortress. Aster landed on his two feet while Bowser bonked his head on the floor, flipped, and landed on his stomach.
To be continued...
Shoutout to nintendoscript15 for helping me out with his OC, Alex's reaction after waking up.