Chapter 2 Tricks and Traps

The three Koopalings screamed as they went barreling like bullets through the vortex. When it finally opened up, the three of them landed with a thud on a very hard linoleum floor.

"Oww," Lemmy said as he got up, "I think I broke my tail."

Iggy, Morton, and Lemmy found themselves in a dark hallway. The floor was made out of black and white tiles, and the rocks that made up the walls were a turquoise in color. There were two doors at both ends of the hallway that lead to much brighter rooms, and the walls of the hallway were decorated by paintings. Morton groaned as he put his hand to his head.

"What the World Eight just happened?" he asked, a hint of disorientation in his tone.

"I do not know," Lemmy admitted. "I think we got sucked into a wormhole or something."

Suddenly, Iggy let out a gasp and sprung to his feet. He was grinning from ear to ear.

"That is exactly what happened!" he exclaimed with big, shining eyes. "Oh my goodness, I have been trying to prove the existence of wormholes ever since I was a toddler. This is incredible!"

"Incredible?" Morton asked. "Uh, Iggy, we have no idea where we are."

"Pfft," Iggy exclaimed with a nonchalant wave of the hand. "That's not true at all. We're probably in another country."

Suddenly, Lemmy let out a gasp of delight.

"Wait a minute! What if we're on another planet? Oh man, that would be awesome."

Iggy chuckled, a hint of a arrogance blending into his tone.

"Lemmy, that is ludicrous," he said. "We aren't on another planet!"

"Because we're in an alternate universe," Morton said gravely. Iggy looked at his dark skinned brother and burst into laughter.

"Another universe?" Iggy asked, the same know it all tone still present. "Morton, that's even more ludicrous than the other planet theory!"

"But it's true," Morton said as he pointed to the painting on the wall. "Look."

Iggy and Lemmy turned toward the painting, and when they saw it they simultaneously let out a gasp. The picture showed two koopas, both six years in age. One of them had big eyes, a green head, and three strands of rainbow hair protruding from his head. The other was slightly taller and had a full mohawk of rainbow hair. He was also wearing a pair of black rim glasses. They looked identical to the glasses Iggy was adorning right at that moment.

"Iggy," Lemmy said, "that looks like us!"

Iggy gawked at the picture, his disbelief making him mute for a brief second.

"That's...that's impossible!"

"It's possible," Morton said from further down the hallway. "Come look at some of the other ones."

Iggy and Lemmy started to make their way down the hallway. Each picture that they passed made their disbelief and shock multiply. While the pictures didn't look exactly like their siblings, the similarities were far too uncanny. But by far, the most mind boggling picture was the one that Morton was standing in front of. It displayed a Koopa with green skin and a crocodile like snout. He was wearing a golden crown on his head. The plaque below the picture read "King Bowser Koopa."

"King Bowser?" Lemmy asked as he glanced up at the picture. "But...how?"

Iggy stared at the picture. Suddenly, the realization and weight of where he was hit him like a lightning bolt.

"Oh my developer; we're in an alternate universe!"

Iggy started to hyperventilate. Morton, however, just looked at him incredulous.

"Iggy, it's going to be alright," he said. Iggy shook his head.

"I...I can't breathe," he wheezed.

"Yes you can," Morton said.

"Remember; in through the nose, out through the mouth," said Lemmy.

Iggy got onto his knees and started to cry.

"I have no idea how we are going to get out of this!"

Morton and Lemmy exchanged. Then they started to count in unison.

"One, two, three…" Before they could reach four, Iggy sprung to his feet excitedly.

"I've got it! I know what we can do!" he exclaimed. Lemmy looked impressed.

"Wow. Three seconds; that's a new record," he said. Morton smiled at Iggy.

"What's the plan, Iggster?"

"It's quite simple, actually," Iggy said. "Obviously, that wormhole had to be artificial. So, all we have to do is find the person responsible for crafting it and have them send us back home!"

Morton nodded with approval. Lemmy thought about it.

"That sounds good," Lemmy said. "But how are we going to find the person? It could be anyone in this universe!"

"Well, I think we should start with searching this castle," Iggy said. "Then we expand our search if necessary."

"Sounds like a plan," said Morton. He then pointed to the left hand doorway. "Let's go this way."

So, the three Koopalings made their way to the other end of the hallway. Unfortunately, they were hit with a nasty shock when they walked through the doorway.

"Intruders!"

Morton and Iggy exchanged looks with one another.

"What was that?" Morton asked. Lemmy pointed upwards in a panic.

"Guys, look out!" he screamed.

Morton and Iggy looked up and saw what appeared to be a thwomp descending upon them. They bolted out of the way just in the nick of time.

"Doh!" said the thwomp in angry defeat. "I missed!"

"Don't worry, Chip," said another thwomp up above. "We'll get em."

Another thwomp tried to descend on the three Koopalings, prompting them to break out into a run. The trio ran as fast as their legs could carry them. While they weren't looking upwards to see the thwomps, they could hear them as the smushed the ground. They did not stop until they got into another hallway. Iggy, Morton, and Lemmy did their best to catch their breath.

"That was a close one," Iggy said. Then they heard a voice come from their right.

"Don't get too comfortable, boys. I am an expert of dealing with intruders to Castle Koopa."

Iggy glanced to his right hand side and gasped. It was a walking piranha plant; a ptooey!

"A ptooey!" Iggy exclaimed. "But ptooeys are extinct!"

The ptooey pursed her lips into a growl.

"I'm about to make you extinct for insulting me like that!"

The ptooey spat out a spikey ball at the three brothers. Iggy, Morton, and Lemmy broke out into another run. This time they didn't stop until they saw a door at the end of the hallway. They rushed to the other side and locked it shut. They could hear the ptooey's spiky ball crash into the doorway, but thankfully it did not breakthrough. The trio breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank the lumas! We're alive!" said Iggy.

"Yeah," Lemmy said with a giggle. He started to walk forward. "Hopefully now our mission can get back on…"

Before Lemmy could finish his sentence, a trapdoor opened out from underneath his feet. Morton and Iggy gasped as the floor slid back into place. It was almost as if it had just eaten their brother.

"LEMMY!" they cried.