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Castle Calamity Adventures 2

Once more, we find ourselves back at Princess Peach's castle. It is about an hour before dawn. The Toads managed to penetrate the Post Office, and captured Paraklutz, tying him onto a pole and erecting the rod in front of the castle's front door. For a few hours beforehand, they had danced around a bonfire set up under this upright shaft, amidst the clumsy Paratroopa's tears. Although the craze that befell the residents of Toad Town has slowly dissipated, they are still far too dangerous and mad to be handled. But for now, only the hushed evening breeze and sizzling embers murmur in the castle's front courtyard.

Inside the castle, Toadsworth is still awake, having lost sleep since the frenzy outside began. Most in the castle, including the majority of the Toad soldiers, are fast asleep now. E. Gadd is in the basement, continuing his studies along with Russ T., the Toad scholar who lived near the front entrance of Toad Town, who had just returned from a trip and managed to maneuver through the crazy crowd, entering the castle via the secret tunnel. Once more, the Toad chancellor is inside his loft, drowning out his sorrow by writing in his journal.

Once more, I am a witness to the continuing madness that has befallen our once glorious city. One could say Rougeport's East Side is safer to traverse now. But I digress…

We can now say our postal service is doomed, now that our new Postmaster is in harm's clutches. Thankfully, my fellow Toad's haven't found the secret entrance through the castle's kitchen. Just how are we to rescue the poor fellow? Wario and Donkey Kong barely managed to keep them at bay when they tried to barge in through the front door the first time. When this ordeal is hopefully over, I'll have to explain to my mistress about getting new doors.

Oh, my princess! If you weren't so coveted by Bowser! How things would be different! Certainly, the land would enjoy peace for decades to come. But I wonder… Maybe the Princess would suffer from Stockholm syndrome and actually like the Koopa King… Seems farfetched, but I hear their dance at the Star Gala made heads turn… Perhaps if he'd proposed on the moon, then maybe… What am I saying? Of course she'd reject him! But I digress again… Honestly, my dear journal, the more I think about this, Bowser's constant attempts to against our kingdom may have left us with immediate effects, but not something like this… It certainly rivals the atrocious blorb infestation or the invasion of the alien Shroobs.

I just hope we can pull through this situation.

[RRRRRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!]

"Gracious!" yells a shocked Toadsworth, as a large, white gloved hand tears the page Toadsworth had been writing on. He turns to the right after placing his quill back in the ink well, and sees Wario picking out a wedgie.

Wario is wearing lavender colored onezie pajamas, and has baggy eyes. He looks back at Toadsworth with a dozed glare while grimacing, and goes to the restroom after farting.

Immediately after Wario exits, E. Gadd and Russ T. barge into the room as well, discussing intently about a certain matter.

"How could you have done that? If I only had a chance to even take a peek, by Eldstar!"

"He, he. I'm sorry if that bothers you, Russy," replies E Gadd with a hint of laughter. "I'm sure you'll get to have a look once the Doogan guy comes back."

"If he comes back! I seldom let Kolorado borrow my books for the very reason that he's careless with them. I'm not too confident that this gray Doogan…"

Toadsworth interrupts their quarrel, frustrated by their intrusion. "By Eldstar's mighty providence, what fuss are you two making?" He sighs, rubbing his eyes afterwards. "I'm sorry for my outburst, but I can't sleep well, thinking how my mistress could be in grave danger at the moment."

"Stop worrying, Toadsworth. All it will do is take a toll on your health," says E. Gadd.

"I know you're right, Professor, but with my people acting like hooligans outside the castle and no one that can restore order… It really has taken a toll on me."

"Just trust that Yoshi and the others will sort things out," he responds, "Everything will be fine before you know it."

Russ T. scoffs. "Fine, you say? Ha! Wait 'till you hear this chancellor… That fool E. Gadd gave that gray Doogan the ancient book!"

Toadsworth gasps. "May Kalmar have mercy on you! It was a terrible idea! Besides, Russ could have deciphered some of the Shyguy language for us."

"I just took a big gamble with this fellow. If what he said was true, then he should be on his way to the Nimbus Land fighting tournament. Yoshi and the others should be finishing their task by now… Hopefully they got Johnny out safely."

Russ T. raises his brow. "Getting Johnny out? Isn't he the shark pirate that's supposed to be in jail right now?" There's an awkward silence, in which Wario passes by while passing gas again. "Let's rewind this a bit, shall we? You mean to tell me that you, Toadsworth, allowed Yoshi and Princess Daisy to break into a fortress to get a dangerous convict out?"

"All to save the world," adds E. Gadd with a victory hand gesture.

Toadsworth sighs again. "I was desperate, Russ, and I clearly didn't think of the chance of a bad outcome. The chancellor of Sarasaland planned this all out and I was already very flustered, so I went along. This is my fault. If they get caught and locked up, I will be to blame for dooming the entire world."

"You just said you've been worried sick about her Majesty," interjects E Gadd, "Anyone would have done what you did in your place. That is how dangerous our worldwide peril has become. But I do have some updates. While Russ was scavenging the book shelves, I was on the phone with Princess Daisy's helicopter pilot. He's on his way to pick them up somewhere in the desert."

Toadsworth juts his mouth. "Any word about them breaking out?"

"Negative. He didn't know anything yet, but he had high hopes in finding them."

"Wait a sec," interrupts Russ T., calmer this time, having thought out the conversation. "Toadsworth, E. Gadd, I guess I should apologize for worrying myself. I guess like E. Gadd here, you just took a gamble too. I doubt I could have handled it better than either if I were the decision maker, and honestly, we can all agree that we are not hero material. I mean, we can't do much ourselves at the front line, but trust that they'll manage somehow. As for us, we can keep researching and fill them in with anything else we can figure out, though I'm still bitter about that ancient book, but, what to do?" He shrugs as he lifts his hands. "I guess I'll settle with the other books written by Bernard Fox."

Something clicks in the minds of the chancellor and scientist as the look at each other, and back at the scholarly Toad.

"Bernard… Fox, you said?" begins Toadsworth.

"Didn't that gray Doogan say his name was Bernard Fox?" continues E. Gadd, sounding as goofy as ever. "It completely slipped my mind when I gave him the book."

Russ T. gets upset once more. "Why am I getting this bad feeling that we may have been had by one of this Master's cronies?"

"That could true at this point, but we must still believe in our heroes," interjects Toadsworth. "There is no use worrying anymore."

"My mind is just boggled with new questions, chancellor," adds E. Gadd, "And it just struck me that doogans are usually tan colored. So many coincidences, and yet, I let them all slip by!"

"Let's just hope for the best. I'll try and reach the chancellor of Sarasaland. You keep studying with Russ T.'s help. By the way, where did he go?"

Unbeknownst to them, Russ T. had slipped out of the conversation unnoticed, and as quietly as possible and watching that he isn't spotted by anyone, he discreetly makes it to the forlorn room that used to house Princess Peach's old slide. He locks the door, and takes out a device similar in appearance to a smartphone from inside his pocket. He activates the device, a hologram communicator, and presses a button with a wind symbol on it located under the hologram projector twice.

"Please state your password," buzzes the device with a near human voice.

"Stagnant Wind," replies the Toad scholar.

A buzzy hologram of the elderly green Birdo woman from the Sarasaland inn appears. She seems like she was expecting his call.

"Doldrum reporting from Princess Peach's Castle. Salutations to you, Jet Stream."

"Glad to hear from you, almost right after the Westerly. But pleasantries can wait! The Westerly has reported that the heroes commissioned by Toadsworth are almost successful and both he and Sandstorm are about to meet. The time has come to convene once more."

"I understand, Jet Stream. I'll need some time to finish the research project we have here at the castle first."

"I understand as well, so I will summon you all to our meeting in a month. The fate of the Mushroom World depends on the complete success of Yoshi and his team. As for myself, I must get ready to receive the heroes once they return from Nimbus Land."

Russ T. chuckles. "You sure have a lot of faith to assume they'll make it that far."

"We have nothing to lose by thinking so. Anyway, contact the Snowstorm; he'll be of aid in your research. Once three weeks have passed, you both must leave all work up to that point and head south. No one must be late, understood?"

"Affirmative." Russ T. hears walking outside the door. "I must go now. I'll be filling you in with more information we may get. Until we see each other in four weeks."

"Farewell, Doldrum." The call ends, and Russ T. exits the room right before E. Gadd turns the knob.

"There you are, Russ!"

"Sorry about making you lose time to look for me. I just needed to let some steam out, but I'm ready to work now."

"Good, good. Let's not waste time." Both the professor and the scholar head over to the library in the basement to continue researching the writings of the late Doogan Bernard Fox.

"Oh, by the way, E. Gadd," continues Russ T., "we could use more bright minds with our research. How about getting Herringway over here to help us? You know he's a splendid writer, and he has a way with words."

"Good idea, Russy! He'd probably be able to read between the lines! I'll have Toadsworth call him over. Maybe we can send Donkey Kong to escort him here…" and with that, their voices fade into the distance of the castle's basement.

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The mysterious visitor from the previous Calamity chapter has now been revealed. The question is still, however: Will this younger Bernard Fox be an ally, or the Master's henchman? And now, Russ T. himself revealed to be part of this secret wind organization. Stay tuned for the next Calamity Castle chapter, but next time: we read something private. What is it? Can't tell you here! It's private, gosh! But I will next chapter, so see you then.