Super Smash Bros adventures chapter 28
Mario, Link, Pit, and Marth are out shopping at Brawlmart doing some last minute shopping. "Thanks for coming with us, Marth." says Mario. "You always know what to get people."
"No problem, I still have some stuff to buy, too." replies Marth, pulling out a neatly written list.
"Thanks to you, I found this gem necklace for Zelda." says Link, holding up a carefully carved gold medallion with ruby, sapphire, and emerald crystals.
"And I found these nice shirts Pittoo and I can wear together!" Pit exclaims.
"It's not a problem, you guys." Marth reassures. "I love helping friends shop."
Mario looks over his purchases one last time. "Lets see, I found this new journal for Luigi, a baking set for Peach, a black 'baddie' bumper sticker for Bowser's go-kart, new shoes for Yoshi, a book for Rosalina to read to her Lumas, bananas for Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong, a new motorcycle jacket for Wario, and toys for Bowser's kids. I think that's it!" says Mario, relieved that he is finally done Christmas shopping.
"You're forgetting someone, Mario." says Marth.
Mario frowns and tries to remember, then looks at the swordsman. "Who am I forgetting?"
Everyone else shoots him a look that clearly screams 'isn't it obvious?' then Marth answers. "Palutena."
"Oh." Mario says, now thinking. Why did he have such a hard time deciding on gifts for this lady? "Well, what should I get her?"
"Ooh, good question." Link says, shaking his head.
"Pit. You're her servant!" Mario says quickly. "What does she like?"
"Hey! I resent that!" Pit cries indignantly. Mario shoots him a rather desperate look and he agrees to help. "Okay, well, she really enjoyed cooking with you. Why don't you get her a cookbook or something?"
Mario considers this for a second. "That could work… but they don't really have many cookbooks here."
"Well, go look and see what they have, and we'll go pay for our stuff and meet you out front." Marth offers.
"Okay, I'll be back." Mario says, and rushes off towards the books while the others head for the register.
"Let's see… Smashing Recipes… Pastries, Pies, and Pancakes..." Mario reads through the titles of books, and though they look good, they seem a bit generic. He wants something special for his friend. Before he knows it, he has browsed through all the cookbooks and is still empty handed.
"That's a bummer." he says, and walks back to where his friends are waiting. After paying for their purchases, they left the store.
"So, did you find something?" Pit asks eagerly.
Mario's silence was answer enough.
"You've got to hurry! Christmas is in two days!" Link points out.
"If you can't find something here, then go on a mission." Marth suggests. "There are tougher missions you can do to earn special rewards. They're usually a lot harder, but worth it in the end. Maybe you can find something for Palutena there."
Mario sighs and looks downcast. "I'll see what kind of mission I should do." He says, as they head back to the Smash mansion.
Mario, Link, and Pit sneak to their room, avoiding the prying eyes of the younger Smashers, and hide their gifts. "I'll be back, guys." says Mario. "I'm going to find a mission to complete."
"Okay. Let's play the Wii U together when you get back." says Pit.
Mario nods, then heads to the mission board, and finds that there is a small section reserved for 'special missions', just like Marth said. Why hadn't he noticed this before?
Mario flips through the pages, looking at all of the missions that have a special reward. ''Mascot Battles! Win a Stock Ball', 'Defeat 100 Gold Starmen: reward, Sword of Kings', 'Find my Lost Fairies: win a Rare Gold Banana'…
"Man, this is hard. Which one should I choose?" Mario wonders to himself. He looks through the mission papers again and sees one that looks as if it is made for his particular circumstances. 'Legendary Book: yours if you can find it.'
Perfect! He steps back, considering if he is ready to go now or not. He knows it could be dangerous, but if he doesn't act soon, he'll be too late.
As Mario is thinking about this, Cloud walks up to the mission board, looking for something to do. Cloud's eyes fly over the mission board, and he quickly chooses a post, unknowingly grabbing the one Mario has his eye on.
"Hey!" Mario cries once he realizes what has happened. Cloud is already headed to Sakurai's office to get his portal. "Cloud! Wait!" Mario calls.
The soldier turns.
Mario tries to think of a way to explain things without sounding too greedy. "I kind of wanted to do that mission." he says.
Cloud's mouth tightens. "I already signed up… Sorry…" Cloud slowly turns away and continues walking.
Mario hurries after him. He needs to go on that mission! "We can go together and split the reward!" he suggests.
Cloud stops moving. "Not interested." he responds in a blunt manner. Mario is discouraged, but then Cloud continues. "I don't really care much for the reward. You can have it."
By then they are already at Sakurai's door. Cloud and Mario enter the office and the soldier silently hands the paper to him across the desk.
Sakurai looks it over. "So, you're going to Creepy Steeple, Cloud?"
"He's coming, too." Cloud says, nodding in Mario's direction. Mario can't believe his good luck. Since they'll be going to his world, he'll have to lead.
"All right! I'll have the portal ready for you two in a second. It'll be in one of the transport rooms.
Mario thanks Sakurai and the two Smashers go to catch their portal.
They are transported to a dark and dreary village. The place is small, only about four or five houses, a shop, and an inn. The full moon hangs prominently in the night sky as if it has no intention of setting anytime soon, and ravens caw in the leafless trees overhead. Mario looks around and recognizes this place immediately. "This is Twilight Town!"
"Your world, huh?" Cloud asks, ensuring his Fusion Blade is secured to his back. "You know where Creepy Steeple is?"
"Yeah! It's this way!" Mario starts forward. If he is going to get Palutena's Christmas present, he wants to earn it properly. He leads Cloud through the gate-exiting town and they come upon a clearing with a few trees. They pass a small abandoned shack, and Mario looks at Cloud and becomes curious about something.
"So, if not for the rewards, then why go on these missions?" Mario asks.
Cloud continues onward for a moment, and then speaks. "Because I feel like it." he answers simply.
A large log is laid out across their path. Cloud clears it in one jump. Mario is small enough to crawl or rather roll under it, thanks to a curse he had received from a ghost in a black chest in the very town they had just left.
Mario and Cloud continue walking in silence, the sky grows darker and the forest thickens. Dense trees and shrubs enclose around them, and it is hard to walk now. The two haven't gotten far before the cold night air surrounds them, as if they are the center of its attention and it has nothing better to do than to make them miserable. Bald Clefts and Dayzees attack them, but they only serve as an inconvenience thanks to Mario's moves and Cloud's Fusion Blade.
Eventually, they pass through the forest and come to a large, dark, ornate bell tower. Mario shudders as he remembers the last time he came here, when he had lost his name and body to Doopliss, the shape shifter. He seriously hopes that creature is not around. He doesn't want to be a nobody again.
Cloud stops and stares, memories surfacing in his mind. "This place…" He has seen something similar. It reminds him of his past; a girl and a flower garden, the disease that nearly wiped everyone out, and the cure from the Life stream. It all happened in an old steeple remotely like this, but brighter. The good and bad mix around in his mind, and he can't quite decide if it is creepy or… beautiful.
"Well, that book's got to be somewhere in here." Mario says, "Let's go inside."
Cloud nods and follows Mario through the creaky gate and up the stairs. They enter to large arch doors and glimpse the inside of the steeple. There is a thin layer of dust over everything, and a chilly vibe in the air. Stain-glass windows depict intricate designs, though dusty, and cobwebs hang from the ceiling and any other surface.
"Well, let's start searching." Mario suggests. Cloud nods and they comb the steeple, looking for anything that could lead them to the legendary cookbook.
Cloud is searching, when a Boo appears right in front of him. "Are you going to be mean to me?" the ghost asks
Cloud's hand instinctively flies to his sword, but the Boo doesn't move. It simply floats there, waiting for the soldier's answer. "Uh… no?" Cloud says uncertainly.
Mario looks in the corner, when he finds a small hole leading to a secret room. He crawls inside and finds a chest. Heart pounding, he opens the box and discovers an old, leather book inside
"Found it!" Mario cries. He wriggles back through the hole and finds Cloud surrounded by at least two hundred ghosts, looking confused. Mario rushes over to the soldier. "How did they get here?" he asks in astonishment.
"Uh…" Cloud really doesn't know the answer to that, but he winces as one ghost grabs his shoulder. Cloud jerks away, and sees that the Boos are closing on Mario, a few of them clinging to his arms and head. "You've made some friends." Cloud says dryly.
Mario looks, sees the ghosts, and screams, trying to shake them off! However, more keep latching on. Cloud pulls out his sword and slashes at them, Mario does a spinning tornado jump to free himself.
Some of the ghosts let out eerie cries, and the Boo who had confronted Cloud appears. "You said you wouldn't be mean!" it complains. "Come on, guys! Let's get them!"
Mario and Cloud glance at each other, both of them having a bad feeling. Mario gets in a fighting stance and Cloud readies his sword. All the Boos come together to form a giant Atomic Boo.
Mario looks the Boo straight in the eye, but this ghost doesn't seem to care whether it is being gawked at, and hovers forward, aiming to crush the two Smashers.
"Hey! Where's our portal?" Cloud asks, sidestepping the ghost's attack.
"I don't know…" Mario says, puzzled. "I found the book already. It should have appeared to take us back to the mansion!"
"Well, it hasn't!" Cloud snaps.
The massive ghost continues chasing Mario and Cloud. Perhaps the portal won't come until they defeat it?
"I see why this mission is a challenge." Mario says. "We can't quit until we're done."
"Well, let's finish this." Cloud says, and faces the giant ghost once more.
The ghost spits out a barrage of smaller Boos, and Cloud bats them away with his Fusion Blade. Mario runs behind the Large Boo and leaps into the air, landing a few stomps on the Boo's head, before touching the ground next to Cloud.
Cloud jumps into the air and brings his blade down onto the ghost's head, but the Boo turns intangible and the sword goes right through its round body.
"Dodge this!" Cloud cries, and his blade glows with green light. He fires a green beam from the tip of the sword, and the Boo is hit.
Outraged, the Boo charges forward, and Mario and Cloud can't get out of the way fast enough.
"Ugh!" they both groan as a massive Boo body crushes them against the hard, uneven floor. The ghost then flies up and spits smaller Boos at them, damaging the fighters even more.
Struggling against pain and exhaustion, Mario stands and throws fireballs at the ghost, hitting his target and warming the place at the same time.
"Look out!" Cloud chokes out, as dust entering his lungs. Mario looks just in time to see the Atomic Boo charging at him!
Mario is prepared to fight force with force, and pulls back his fist to charge his fire palm.
Ka-bam! Both attacks collide and Mario and the ghost are sent flying to opposite sides of the room. Mario is slammed against a statue of a star, and fears he is injured badly, though it feels worse than it actually is.
The Boo is significantly weakened, but advances towards Mario, ready to attack him again. Mario is far from beaten, and stands up again, drawing strength from one source; the thought of Palutena's smiling face. Mario prepares another attack when he hears a voice.
"Limits were meant to be broken!"
Cloud, now glowing with a vibrant, blue light, taps into a reservoir of power, launches into the air, his blade aloft, and deals a devastating Climb Hazard.
"Almost done." Mario thinks to himself, and with a mighty kick, the massive Boo vanishes, turning into dust.
Everything is quiet now, and the two heroes catch their breath. "It's gone." Cloud says.
Mario stares at the warrior. "I… thought I was finished for a second there." he admits. "I couldn't get through that fight until I thought of…" He finishes his statement in his mind. "Palutena".
Cloud nods understandingly, knowing what the plumber is going to say. "I… go on these missions so I can get stronger… so I can protect the ones I cherish." Cloud admits.
Mario thinks about what Cloud has said, and realizes that he does cherish someone, the very person he went through all this trouble to get a cookbook for.
The two Smashers look at each other for a moment, and then the Smash portal appears, granting them a way home. Cloud and Mario rush through it without another word, glad to rest from their adventure.
On his way up to his room, Mario bumps into Palutena. He quickly hides the ancient cookbook behind his back and smiles. "Hi, Palutena!" he says.
"Hi, Mario." Palutena says, somewhat crestfallen.
"What's wrong, Palutena?" Mario asks.
"Oh, well, there was a mission I wanted to do, but it's gone now…" she explains. "It was a special one and I really wanted the reward…"
"Oh." Mario says quietly, "I'm sorry to hear that."
"It's okay." Palutena says. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow." She walks down the hall past Mario and Mario continues up to his room, hoping Palutena will like her present.