Chapter 2: Let the Games Begin!

Disclaimer: I do not own the Mario series. All credit belongs to Nintendo along with all of its original creators and designers.

It had been nearly a week since the Magikoopa Squad had set off on their journey, and the Koopa Troop had spent the entire time preparing for today. With the Broodals handling all of the party preparations, it was sure to be an event to remember. Lakitus, Paratroopas, Flyguys, and ParaGoombas filled the skies above Neo Bowser City, decorating every inch of the dark suburbia with banners bearing their master's face and stringing multicolored lights. On the rooftops of the largest buildings, several Fire Bros. readied fireworks and confetti cannons. To an outsider it might have looked as if they were preparing for the holidays, but the purpose of this social gathering was all the more sinister.

Bowser stood on the deck of his personal airship, watching the streets below with satisfaction as his minions began putting the finishing touches on everything. While no longer decorated for a wedding, the craft retained its posh appearance, contrasting heavily with the plain wooden warships that comprised the formation.

In only a matter of hours, the skies would light up with fireworks and the world's greatest plot would begin to unfold. He was confident this would be one for the history books. As these thoughts floated through his mind, an equally large craft pulled up alongside his own, this one adorned with the white and purple and a rabbit-like figurehead.

Madame Broode snapped her fingers, prompting two nameless rabbits to drop the plank between ships. "Took a few all-nighters, but we're almost done." she crossed over to the opposite side, taking a moment to tiredly rub her forehead.

"Looks good, considering you only had a few days to toss everything together." her employer glanced down at the light display. "Of course, you couldn't got the job done without my minions doing all the grunt work."

"Without the help of my precious Broodals, this affair of yours would be lacking in the most basic departments." Seeing his glare, she elaborated. "After seeing your original wedding plans, it became clear that you have absolutely no style or grace to speak of."

"Hey lady! You trying to start a fight!?" the Koopa King rounded on her, his attempts to intimidate only incensing her irritation.

"Don't start something you can't finish, ugly!"

"Someone who looks like they ate six Gourmet Guys is calling me, ugly? Like they say, it ain't over till the fat lady sings!" he laughed obnoxiously, seemingly unaware pf the murderous look she was shooting him. "Go ahead and indulge me, would ya?"

Madame Broode yanked the chain in her hand, prompting Chain Chompikins to gnash its teeth in his direction. The laughter died from Bowser's face as he felt something sharp sink into his tail, his puzzled wide-eyed expression earning a snicker from the chief Broodal and several random minions. He jumped ten feet in the air before crashing violently on the deck with a series of tiny stars humorously circling his horns.

Shaking his head to clear it, the Demon Koopa bounced back up, his glare practically blazing with fury. "Why you rotten little sneak! I'll turn you into burnt stew and grind that oversized garbage disposal into scrap metal!"

"Go ahead and try it, turtle-bits!" she drew herself up to her full height, appearing just as bulky as her enraged employer.

"Here we go again..." From her seat behind the helm, Kammy Koopa let out an exasperated sigh. After all these years, his violent temper still kept getting the better of him.

The Koopa King crunched his knuckles menacingly as the obese rabbit rattled her chain, both monstrous beings shifting their feet side-to-side like a pair of wrestlers preparing for a brawl. Before either could begin, they were interrupted by the appearance of a slightly smaller airship which whizzed just feet above their heads, its shadow rippling across the deck before the ship came to an abrupt stop between the two much larger vessels.

Bowser Jr. was accompanied by Ludwig Von Koopa, the four Broodals, and Captain Goomba, the seven of them having formed a committee of sorts to manage to large numbers of laborers in the city. It had been a big mess at first, but they still managed to get the job done.

"Hey pop, you sure fighting each other right now is a good idea?" a familiar voice called out, his timely entrance distracting the two from their conflict.

Topper leapt out from behind the young Koopa before tipping his hat to his superior. "No need ta fret, Miss. We jus' finished preparin' the City's Main Square!"

Madame Broode waddled over to the edge of the ship, straining her heavily made-up eyes at the distant street. "Can't see too well from here." she leapt into the air with surprisingly agility, returning to her own aircraft. "I'll have to take a good look at it up close before giving my approval."

Harriet tossed her saucer in the air with a dramatic flourish. "It looks gorgeous just like we planned. This is bound to get us a ton of business once all those bad guys see just how awesome we are."

"So that's your game." Bowser crossed his arms grumpily. "I shoulda known you swindlers wouldn't have agreed to do this for free without having some scheme in mind."

The Broodal's boss let out a guttural laugh. "Don't get yer tail in a twist, fang face. We both have something to gain, so it shouldn't be any problem for either of us."

"Whatever..." the Koopa King grumbled to no one in particular. His wandering gaze settling on a certain flag-bearing Goomba. "Hey, you! Now that those rotten rabbits are finished decorating the city, I need you to marshal the troops and make sure everyone is in place for the big show."

"Already taken care of, sir." the captain stood up a little straighter, wishing in that moment he had arms to salute.

"And just in time, too!" Ludwig shouted, pointing to the dark horizon of Neo Bowser City.

Bowser and his minions turned to see the commotion, excited cries coming from the city below as a series of unfamiliar aircrafts began dotting the distant skies. Their leader took out a pair of binoculars to get a better view of his visitors, who were immediately intercepted by a fleet of Koopa Troop airships. Entrance into the Koopa Kingdom was prohibited to outsiders without an invitation, enforced by the presence of the sky armada, navy, and tank platoon. Although he had hoped to avoid complications, it was the only way to prevent good guys from showing up.

After several minutes passed, the airships escorted their guests to the city airstrip for proper landing. Bowser Jr. scoffed at the look of one craft, laughing to himself at the Crocodile Shaped chasse and awkward propeller as it soared on by. Another flying machine followed minutes later, looking more like an alien's flying saucer, though this was nothing compared to a run-down airplane that bore a vaguely familiar crest.

"Where'd Lord Bowser, go?" Captain Goomba glanced around worriedly, having taken his eyes off the arriving guests just in time to notice his absence.

The Koopa King suddenly emerged from the lower deck though a trapdoor, sitting atop what appeared to be a flying throne stationed atop a hover platform. He wore a white tuxedo and top hat similar to the one from his sham wedding. "Somebody page the King of Awesome!?"

"Lookin' real stylish, dad!" his son replied with a thumbs up, earning an evil grin from the elder Koopa. "You're gonna knock 'em dead!"

"Gotta leave a good impression on the peons. Those second-rate bad guys can't go around thinkin' they're better than me!"

Ludwig shook his head worriedly. "I wouldn't go saying that in front of our guests. Especially if you want their cooperation with this plan."

"Marvelous choice of clothing, King Bowser!" Kammy Koopa floated over on her broomstick, flying a circle to inspect him from all sides. "To think that horrid woman would question your sense of style."

The crew began heaping praise onto their master, led by Captain Goomba and a handful of Koopa Troopas working the deck. The eldest Koopaling sighed as the rest of the minions complimented their leader, his advice once again ignored. He was silently glad the Broodals had left with their leader to take one last look at the meeting area before inviting in guests. Rude as they were, he couldn't deny those rabbits did their job right. Looking down at the streets, Ludwig could see people arriving in groups. He guessed most of the villains had brought along several minions as a show of military might and authority. The Koopa King's desire to impress his fellow evil-doers was apparently contagious.

While many bad guys arrived by aircraft, several more came in land vehicles, and even more by boat. In the dingy harbor of Neo Bowser City, a number of Shy Guys dressed in pirate outfits were waving ships into the cove, their efforts directed by a Green Shy Guy carrying a magic wand, a lazy-eyed Goomba in a blue stocking cap, and a red Paratroopa wearing a bucket-like helmet. Sergeant Guy, Private Goomp, and Corporal Paraplonk were known as the Elite Trio among their fellow minions, though their string of repeated failures had landed the group with odd jobs that the higher-ups deemed so easy, even they couldn't possibly mess it up.

They were currently stationed inside the city lighthouse, charged with ensuring its operation and coordinating security forces.

"Looks like a pretty big turnout?" Paraplonk exchanged looks with his fellows.

"Who cares... Not like this'll get us out of the doghouse." Goomp lazily paced back and forth aimlessly before letting out a humongous yawn. "Lord Bowser's really mad after that mess on the island with Mario and that Bat freak."

The third member of their team looked up from his place at the control panel. "Quit complaining! It's all your fault we got stuck here doing the scuff work."

"It's not my fault! This flying fool's tendency to start fights with us is the reason we keep messing up!" the Private wailed, sparing a glance at a certain Paratroopa.

"You guys are calling me incompetent?" he shot back, angrily turning on the others. "That's rich coming from the dude who spends half the day sleeping, and a guy who couldn't find a Banzai Bill even if it were about to explode in his face."

"It's the mask's fault!" Sergeant Guy responded by shooting a blast from his wand.

His attack missed the others who dove out of the way before tackling him to the floor. "I rue the day we got stuck on the same team!" Paraplonk argued, receiving a bump on the head from the mushroom man.

"We'll never get another promotion with your attitudes!" the Shy Guy screamed.

Goomp rammed headfirst into him. "Not if you two can't learn to do something right for a change!" he jeered before being repeatedly slapped by both of his teammates. "That's hitting below the belt... You know I don't have arms!"

"And that's what makes you the weak link of this three-man cell! At least my species was born with upper limbs."

"Yeah, but you masked morons still don't have hands." Corporal Paraplonk flexed his fingers boastfully, causing the others to pile onto him like a team of Chargin' Chucks.

A cloud of dust formed as the three pounded and pummeled every spot of each other they could reach. Too busy quarreling amongst each other, the incompetent trio failed to notice a particularly large boat sailing rapidly closer towards the lighthouse. Rolling around on the floor, the three bumped into a nearby lever, causing one of the large metal gates in the harbor to slam shut, the incoming vessel smashing into the newly-closed barricade. The lighthouse shook violently, causing the Elite Trio to freeze midway through their fight.

By this point Sergeant Guy was holding Private Goomp above his head, having been seconds from bludgeoning the hapless Corporal Paraplonk, who had by now withdrawn. "What the heck was that!?"

"Eek!" his captive took the chance to free himself from the masked man's grip.

"Don't know, but it sounds angry." The Paratroopa poked his head out of his shell, quickly retreating as the building began shaking again.

Private Goomp shuffled over to the lighthouse window, his eyes widening in shock as a flurry of cannonballs began smashing into the side of the tower. "Yikes, looks like we accidentally closed the harbor gates while someone was sailing into port!"

"And whose fault do you suppose that was?" The green Shy Guy barked, the renewed argument being interrupted by the beating of giant wings.

The trio turned to the window just in time to see a monstrous parrot flapping outside, his bulging yellow eyes and clicking beak causing the three to scream in fright. They huddled together and closed their eyes, the so-called elites shaking in terror in his presence.

Rather than attack, the large avian perched on the railing and tapped his beak against the glass. "Hey, are you people in charge of this place or what!?"

Paraplonk opened his eyes. "Um... E-e-excuse me?" he stammered, the other two instinctively hiding behind him.

Private Goomp swallowed nervously. "Who are you? A guest of Lord Bowser, perhaps?"

"Names Bobo, First Mate of the Black Sugar Gang!" the parrot ruffled his wings proudly before narrowing his eyes. "The captain's angry cause some moron operating the gates ruined her ship. She told me to bring 'em down there so she can rough 'em up."

"Oh, that's too bad." Sergeant Guy rubbed the tips of his arms together apologetically. "It's so hard to find good help these days. We'll make sure to fire whoever was responsible."

"It was him!" the other two screamed in unison, stepping back as the monstrous bird lunged his claw through the window, seizing the hapless Shy Guy by the waist.

"Traitors!" he screamed as Bobo tore him from the lighthouse, depositing the green-clad minion on the deck of a damaged ship less than a minute later.

Sergeant Guy glanced around as he landed on some plush carpeting, his flying captor landing on a large wooden perch several meters away. Looking around at his surroundings, he could see several jewel encrusted railings and gilded furnishings, giving off the impression that whoever owned the maritime vessel was not only stylish, but fabulously wealthy to boot. His awe was quickly replaced by fear as several Pirate Gooms closed in around him, their spears glistening in the harbor lights.

"So you're the one responsible for damaging my ship?" Captain Syrup emerged from her quarters, practically kicking down the door as her minions scattered to clear a path.

"It was an accident caused by my idiotic minions." he stood up and began backing away from her. "I'll be sure to squeeze an apology out of them immediately, Miss."

The female pirate placed one hand on her hip. "I come here as a guest, and end up getting the bow of my ship smashed to pieces. Surely your master doesn't expect my cooperation without due compensation."

"I'm sure Lord Bowser would be willing to pay you for the damages. Our crew can repair everything immediately if you would like."

"No one puts their grimy paws on The Sweet Stuff, without my permission." She tapped the deck with her foot and smiled proudly. "This piece of art was designed by yours truly and custom built under by the best money can buy. I'm not about to let a mob of Hammer Bros. nail some plywood onto the hull and call it fixed!"

Sergeant Guy cowered slightly, though confidence began welling up inside him as several Shy Guy controlled ships closed in. "Hey, no one insults the hard working soldiers of the Koopa Troop! Don't forget whose kingdom this is!"

"I know it's not yours." she retorted, completely unperturbed by the Bill Blasters that were now pointed directly at her ship. Several of her own minions were preparing to return fire should a battle begin, though after considering the prospect of starting trouble, she reluctantly signaled them to stand down.

"Hah, even the notorious Black Sugar Gang knows when to back down in the face of the Koopa Troop's superior military power!"

Captain Syrup seized him by the front of his robe. "You are very fortunate there's no profit to be made by dropping you into shark-infested waters." Several of her Gooms raised their spears in his direction. "Keep pushing me, and I might be tempted to do so for my own enjoyment. I doubt your master would even bat an eye."

Sergeant Guy prepared to argue, but thought better about it when he couldn't answer her query with confidence. Before any further conflict could ensue, a pair of Lakitus lifted him from behind and carried the officer to one of the Koopa Troop's own navy ships. He glanced up at the lighthouse, noticing that his fellow elites were missing from their posts. No doubt they were experiencing troubles of their own.

On the other side of the harbor, another large ship had already docked and its occupants were preparing to disembark. While it was a typical wooden vessel, its design was entirely different from the pirate galleons that littered the surrounding bay, instead resembling a Viking longship with an identical bow and stern, and a single large sail. A number of small penguin-like creatures called Tucks were seen scurrying about on board as a pair of anthropomorphic walruses dropped the ramp, allowing them to access the dock.

Private Goomp scampered over to greet the new arrivals, accompanied by a small party of Goombas. "Welcome to the Koopa Kingdom, oh honored guest." he greeted timidly as a large shadow engulfed his entire group. "And you would be?"

"Lord Frederik..." the shadowy giant stepped into the dim light provided by the nearby tower, his full size dramatically dwarfing the angry mushrooms. "Ruler of the Tundra... Emperor of the Ice... President of the Popsicles... ... ... King of the Snowmads!"

The newcomer was a large gray walrus with a thick mustache and beady narrow eyes, his large arms and stubby legs surprisingly muscular, and his giant gut barely held in place by a dark belt adorned with icy blue crystals. He also wore matching armbands, a white fur cape, and matching pants. On his head sat a large horned Viking helmet, his outfit and overall appearance giving off the impression of a ruthless leader and experienced explorer. His size rivaled that of King Bowser, though his tyrannical aura was somewhat colder and less personable.

"I-i-invitation please..."Private Goomp beckoned. An owl-like Hootz flew over his master's shoulder, a piece of paper clutched in its beak. He checked it before signaling to the Goomba Squadron. "Everything checks out! Would you handsome gents be so kind as to escort them to the event location."

"Right boss." a single Goomba answered before nodding towards their guests. "Please follow us right this way, Mr. Frederik."

The Viking leader let out an impatient grunt before addressing his minions. "Aye, let's go lads!"

About a few dozen Waldoughs, Hootzes and Tucks formed a procession around their leader, the Snowmads proceeding across the docks and through the gates into Neo Bowser City. Most of the nomadic villains had rarely spent time in such a large city, with some even taking a moment to appreciate the giant skyscrapers and blaring lights. After a few minutes, they were picked up by an unusually large Wiggler-shaped bus, a fleet of which had been sent by Bowser to escort guests to the City Square.

While more villains continued to flock to the city, the Koopa King's son had arrived in the plaza with the Broodals to oversee the finishing touches. Rango and Spewart had just finished setting up the speakers and stage props. Neo Bowser City Hall was a gigantic marble building with a more old-fashioned look in comparison to the surroundings. Since Bowser preferred ruling from his castle he barely ever visited the place, though it was regularly used as a base by the Koopalings, and was still in decent condition despite their tendency to fight amongst each other.

"A little bit more to the left... Little more... ... Just a little more!" Madame Broode barked, squinting her eyes as a Paragoomba adjusted the welcome banner above the stage. He had been at this for the last ten minutes when he felt his wing cramp and hit the ground. "Perfect!" she called out, receiving a pained groan from the injured worker.

"Looks pretty dang good, 'ey boss?" Topper laughed triumphantly. "Harriet's helpin' the Hammer Bros. set up the fireworks display right now. Looks like we cut dis one close!"

"For something we had less than a week to prepare, it turned out much better than even I thought possible. A little free publicity never hurt anybody."

Rango approached from behind, his hips swaying in a frenzied dance. "Looks like the guests are startin' to arrive, too."

Behind him, large numbers of villains from all over the world had begun to pour in through the side streets, some emerging from parked Wiggler buses with others simply being led in by escorts. Most of them had brought their own soldiers along for the trip, causing massive crowds to form as they huddled one mass after the next. The number of species represented were too many to count, and included many beings who weren't even native to the Mushroom Kingdom and the surrounding areas.

Moments later a bolt of lightning hit the ground nearby, the dust clearing away to reveal an incredibly large shadowy figure with a large round body, a misshapen head, and giant red nose. Standing at least two stories tall, the newcomer had short fat legs ending in pointed shoes and wore a red and blue jumpsuit patterned with skulls and adorned with a row of yellow buttons. His face was a dingy greenish blue like the skin of a corpse, and heavily scarred and disfigured with bulbous red eyes, sharp red teeth, and disproportionately large lips. Stranger were the

circle of golden beads floating around his neck and large trumped horns protruding where his ears should've been.

The Broodals quickly noticed the horrific creature, though it was Spewart who addressed him first. "Pfft, nice nose clown boy! This is the bad guy's convention, not some kid's birthday party."

He began laughing boisterously, not noticing the frown that had begun to form on the giant's face. Without warning, the being conjured a pair of thick arms and giant gloved hands, effortlessly swatting the rabbit headfirst through the nearest wall.

"What in tarnation was that for!? Can't blame him for havin' eyes, can ya?" Rango shouted up at the giant clown, sinking back in fear when the being narrowed its eyes at him.

Madame Broode rarely had to look up at anybody, though in this case she had no choice. "Another rude man dares to attack my precious Broodals! Who are you supposed to be?"

"Rudy the Clown." the demonic figure grinned, revealing several rows of red fangs. "If your desire is to fight me, you need only prepare for a quick and imminent doom."

Bowser Jr. jumped between the two, both claws raised in the air. " Normally I'd wanna see how this ends, but my dad's gonna be really mad if a fight breaks out before the party even begins. "

"Perhaps you will be gracious enough to pardon my temper." The hideous clown disappeared in a puff of smoke, reappearing in a more human-sized but still very burly form. He often used this spell to interact with smaller beings, which came in handy while blending in with crowds. "I originally came to see what type of evils exist in this world, though so far have been rather disappointed with my findings." His bulbous eyes settled on the moon rabbits, earning scowls.

The Koopa Kingdom's prince scurried off to greet more guests. "Good to meet ya!" he greeted enthusiastically, earning looks of recognition from some people due to his father's reputation.

"Such pathetic creatures... To think I was defeated by someone from this world." Rudy muttered as he was pushed to and fro by the crowds. He was half wondering if he shouldn't have remained in his giant form to avoid such trivialities.

"Oh pish-posh... This world is hardly the most impressive place I've seen." a woman scoffed from behind. The voice came from a slightly chubby woman wearing a fancy red dress and eye mask, giving off the impression of a noble who had just returned from the masquerade. Her strawberry blonde hair was long and bushy, and her lips full.

"Terrormisu, Queen of Demons." she introduced herself, offering a gloved hand to the clown.

Rudy did not oblige her, though he looked amused nonetheless. "I assume you also do not come from this world."

"Heaven's no, not this garbage dump planet! My real home existed in a far-off dimension, and I only came to this world to devour souls. It might've worked too, if not for that meddling Wario and his talking magic wand."

"Wario, you say?" the clown raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Well then, it appears you and I have a lot to talk about."

Across the square, a short purple-skinned alien wearing black pants and red shoes was trying to push his way through the masses. He was a hairless humanoid Standing roughly Mario's height with large eyes, pointed ears, and a pair of upwards fangs protruding from the sides of his mouth. To a stranger he would have appeared relatively harmless, yet anyone acquainted with the invader knew all too well just how menacing he could be. With access to potent mind-control technology and advanced weaponry, Tatanga had once kidnapped Princess Daisy and established complete dominion over Sarasaland's four provinces several years ago before being stopped by a certain plumber.

"Out of my way!" he screamed, shoving a pair of Goombas aside only to bump into the leg of an abnormally large person.

"Feels like a bug just ran into my foot." the titan stomped the ground, sending the alien stumbling back. Looking down at the meek purple creature, the hulking monster laughed. "Not just any bug... A really small bug!"

Tatanga was left speechless at the sight of his new adversary; an anthropomorphic pig standing more than ten times his height with furious yellow eyes, a nose ring, and what appeared to be two horns sticking out of his head. Wearing a high-collared purple cape and matching jumpsuit, the creature's hooved feet and humanoid hands were visible, his sharp nails and thick arched brow making him look like an unstable villain who had just blown up the world. Despite being taken aback, the purple alien felt defenseless without his heavily-armed space ship.

"Y-you dare call me a bug!? D-d-do you know who I am!?" he stood up a little straighter, the gesture doing little to mask his stammer.

"No, and I don't really care!" He bent over to get a closer look at the trembling extraterrestrial before chuckling at his expense. "Come to think of it, yer not a bug. Ya look more like a worm from my home planet!"

"Does that mean you're also from outer space!?" Tatanga blinked twice before remembering something he heard from a space traveler a few years back. "Ummm... You wouldn't happen to be that crazy conqueror Wizpig; the disturbed lunatic who destroyed his own planet and turned it into a giant amusement park?"

"Heh heh heh! So that's what they're sayin' about me these days." he replied, looking suddenly nostalgic. "Living amongst those party-poopers back home got boring for me real quick, so one day I stomped all the locals into space dust and built Future Fun Land over on top of it. I'd say it was a major improvement over the peaceful society that existed before, wouldn't you agree?"

"I Don't see much point in ruling over nothing?" the tiny invader shrugged.

"Conquering is a full-time job! There's always more people to terrorize on other planets. Why else do ya suppose I came to this dump!? I was thinking a fellow invader would understand that the most important part is having fun."

The smaller alien rolled his eyes. "Nope, the most important part is making sure you foster obedience in those your conquer! I once did so by hypnotizing citizens into being my servants."

"Now that's something we can agree on!" Wizpig smirked as he remembered his own antics. "Gotta make sure you have reliable henchmen while taking over, and who better than people familiar with the territory?"

"Well it appears you aren't a complete savage, after all. Obedience in ones minions need not be won if it can be forced."

A third person shoved his way through the crowd towards them. "That has to be the most idiotic military advice I've ever heard."

Standing relatively tall but not gigantic, the newcomer was a hefty rotund creature concealing his appearance with a gold-trimmed black and purple robe. His face was wrapped in a white cloth, only his eyes visible behind a pair of goggles, and a large spherical shape protruded from the top of his head, the transparent material showing a number of wires and lights within, make him appear more robotic than organic. On his clothing was a large X Insignia, and he held a golden staff in his white gloved hands.

Wizpig's creepy grin disappeared for a moment. "Who the heck are you supposed to be?"

"Sir Grodus, the Supreme Leader of the Secret Society of X-Nauts!" he announced proudly, earning confused looks from the others. "Surely you savages have heard of my exploits as a great conqueror!?"

"Nope..." Tatanga replied with a deadpan expression. The large X-Naut quivered in anger, but he just scratched his head. "So, I'm guessing you're also an outworlder like us?"

"Like you? Ha! Do not compare me to you lowly amateurs." he called out, causing both aliens to grimace.

"Pretty big talk coming from a robot wearing a dress." the extraterrestrial pig exchanged an amused look with the purple humanoid. "What makes you so much better than us?"

Sir Grodus tapped the ground with his staff, causing several small creatures to scurry from the surrounding crowd, forming a protective perimeter around him. They large number of X-Nauts resembled their leader in appearance, but were much smaller in size, being roughly Tatanga's height, and their outfits less elaborate. While they also wore face coverings and goggles, the smaller fellows were dressed in red jumpsuits bearing the X-Logo of their master, and had much shorter arms ending in mitten-like hands.

"Unlike you, I understand the value of loyal servants." he announced, causing the squadron to salute their master. "A powerful military force who serves their master out of fear and respect is far more useful than a pack of mind-controlled puppets."

Wizpig snorted loudly. "That's your big revelation!? Big deal! So what you have an army of morons dumb enough to listen to take orders. That won't stop you from getting stepped on!" he raised his foot over their heads, stopping mid movement as he was struck in the face was a rocket-powered fist.

"What is that!?" Tatanga practically jumped out of his pants as he saw a large black robot stomping through the city square.

It was lacking a hand due to having launched it, and was piloted by a single X-Naut, though the officer was dressed slightly different from the underlings protecting Grodus. The crowd split as people dove out of the way of the iron giant's stomping feet. The mechanical hand from before rocketed back over and reattached itself to the robot's wrist.

"Back you savages!" the mecha pilot roared, preparing to launch another attack.

"Well done, Lord Crump." Grodus congratulated his second-in-command, quickly getting clear as his mecha prepared to face off with the alien swine.

Wizpig slowly returned to his feet and dusted off his cape, appearing more annoyed despite the robot's size rivaling his own. "That's it little vermin! You guys are gonna be road kill when I'm though with you!"

"NO FIGHTING ALLOWED!" A much louder voice thundered throughout the square, the would-be tussle interrupted by a gargantuan tail slamming between them.

The villains looked up in shock as they saw the rest of the creature's body. Standing tall as the surrounding skyscrapers was a black dragon with glowing slit eyes and horns, the beating of its mighty wings causing a powerful gust. The entire crowd's attention was drawn to the gargantuan beast, whose immense size and imposing nature had caused most of them to fall silent. It took them a matter of seconds to realize that the voice had not come from the creature, but rather the person who commanded it. Riding atop its head was the Koopa King himself, who had recruited the powerful beast into his army during a visit to the Ruined Kingdom. Though it failed to stop Mario from spoiling his wedding, Bowser saw the "Ruined Dragon" as a useful enforcer and an impressive way to make an entrance.

Seeing that he had most everyone's attention, Bowser leapt from the monster's head, landing gracefully on his feet atop the stage in front of Neo Bowser City Hall. His weight hitting the ground from several hundred feet in the air caused the city to rumble, the entrance greeted with murmurs from the countless bad guys who had assembled for the event. Kammy Koopa, the Koopalings, and his own son assembled behind him as a series of dramatic explosions began shooting upwards from the perimeter of the stage, bathing the Koopa Troop's leaders in a brilliant shower of multi-colored sparks. Silence fell as the Ruined Dragon took off into the night skies, the bewildered crowd stirring shortly thereafter.

Bowser shuffled into position between a large golden podium bearing his kingdom's insignia, ironically his face. "It's great to see so many underhanded, capricious, despicable people here in one place" his voice emanated from the speakers like thunder in the evening. "First I wanna thank all you guys for taking the time just to show up here tonight! Secondly I wanna thank the Broodals, without whom, this giant party wouldn't be possible!"

A small bit of applause came from the gathered bad guys, much to the irritation of the rabbit wedding planners who had expected a bit more for their troubles. Though considering their regular clientele consisted of sociopaths, criminals, and tyrants; the attitude of the crowd wasn't too much of a surprise. Villains were notoriously self-centered and often carried their own form of insanity, making them exceedingly difficult to work with.

"You said there'd be something in it for us." Captain Syrup screamed from the audience, earning shouts of agreement from her fellow villains, causing several others to boo their host. She laughed at their reactions.

"Greedy fools like you only think about money." King Boo chirped from across the crowd, earning a scowl from the female pirate. "The only important thing in me right now is revenge!"

"Yes, we were promised compensation for the miserable defeats all of us have suffered throughout the years!" King K. Rool added. "We have our own evil schemes to attend to, so this had better be worth wasting our time!"

"But all you was doin' was sleepin' back home... How was that any more productive to getting our revenge of Donkey Kong." Klump muttered, only to receive an elbow to the stomach.

"Indeed, we were promised revenge!" Lord Frederik raised his fist, earning a battle cry from his fellow Snowmads.

"Which is exactly why I called you all here tonight!" the Koopa King shouted, quickly becoming annoyed by the villains' lack of patience. "Listen to what I have to say tonight, and I promise each and every bad guy standing here tonight will have everything they ever wanted and more?"

Madame Broode chuckled, earning a snicker from her rabbit minions. "He offers quite a bit with no real reason. I hope the fool intends to keep his word this time."

"Doesn't matter if he does, cause we still get the publicity either way..." Harriet laughed.

Tatanga fantasized about a certain brunette princess before snapping out of his reverie, an evil grin tugging at the sides of his fanged mouth. "Big words from a guy who's plans have failed more times than all of us combined."

Sir Grodus tapped his foot impatiently. "That tyrannical clod almost ruined my scheme once before. This empty promise hardly bolsters my opinion of him."

"My opinion of you is hardly any better." the purple alien retorted, only to be whacked on the head by the robotic invader's scepter.

"AHEM!" Bowser cleared his throat loudly over the din. "The point is... We all know what it's like to spends months on a perfect plan only to have it torn to pieces by some crummy do-gooders, am I right!?" this comment earned angry whispers from the audience.

Captain Syrup crossed her arms impatiently. "I'm sure no one here would know about that better than you!" Some of the other villains snickered at her comment. "If I have a coin for every time you lost a fight to Mario, I could quit pirating and retire to Isle Delfino with enough revenue to spend on ten lifetimes!"

The Koopa King resisted the urge to torch his visitors with his fire breath, swallowing it down to hide his temper. "Yeah, I know..." he choked out, sparing the pirate no more than a dirty look.

He pressed a button hidden in the collar of his suit, causing the giant plasma screens plastered around the city to switch on. Random clips of Mario, Donkey Kong, Yoshi, Luigi, Wario, and many other heroes began to play. In a matter of seconds, the audio was drowned out by a chorus of angry screams mingled with disgruntled boos, the crowd jeering and hissing as images of their most hated foes danced through the night. It was less than a minute before some began throwing things at the monitors, several of the larger bad guys even tearing up trees and signposts to throw at the screens.

Seeing this had the desired effect, he turned off the video feed, waiting several seconds for the outrage to fizzle out. "Glad to see we're all on the same page!" he laughed at their response, further incensing the crowd. "Side with me tonight, and I guarantee you'll never have to worry about those meddling do-gooders ever again!"

A deafening cheer erupted from the crowd, the villains slowly applauding what may have been the shortest inspirational speech in the history of the Mushroom World until everyone in the city was clapping together. It took several minutes for the mob to settle again, though once the group hysteria had worn away, several of his guests appeared to be having second thoughts.

King K. Rool threw his arms in the air with much aplomb. "Such empty bravado means nothing to the likes of me." he announced, temporarily stealing the group's attention. "I am a king, and I accept orders from no one. Why would I give up the authority of a sovereign ruler to serve the ambitions of another?"

"I admit, it makes me a little sick to imagine giving up my freedom. After all, that is why I became a pirate." Captain Syrup agreed.

King Boo cackled. "Not to mention the benefits of working for you are pretty limited." he glanced around at the other bad guys who had turned to stare. "Take it from someone who knows!"

"Oh, is that all!?" Bowser waved his claws jokingly, trying and failing to sound less obnoxious than usual. "I ain't asking all you guys to come and work for me. This is more of what you'd call an alliance."

The Demon Queen Terrormisu floated above the crowd using her powers, casually conjuring an elegant fan. "Why would I require the help of a mortal to destroy another mortal? I have my pride as an evil deity to uphold."

"We are hardly equals... Not in power or stature." Sir Grodus shouted from the crowd. "What makes you think that conflicts will not emerge if we are forced to collaborate.

"I need no one's help to crush my enemies..." Rudy the Clown pounded on fist into his opposite hand.

Bowser grunted in response to the barrage of questions, looking as though he were moments from calling the whole thing off. Thinking better of it, he removed the large golden microphone from his podium, roughly handing it to the eldest Koopaling. "I said my piece... He'll explain the details." he gestured to the smaller Koopa.

Ludwig cleared his throat. "The purpose of this alliance is simply to remove our mutual enemies from the equation by multiplying our own chances of victory."

The Koopa King waved his claw dismissively. "Once the good guys are taken care of, I don't much care what the rest of you people do with yourselves. Steal, rob, conquer, or even jump off a cliff... It's no skin off my nose what happens afterwards!"

"The point being, we'll be free to do whatever we want once the situation is resolved."

"And what makes you think we need each other's help to accomplish this?" Wizpig looked down at the others with disdain.

The oldest Koopaling sighed, using his free hand to rub his temple. "We've all tried and failed on our own enough times to know just how resourceful our adversaries can be. However, if you look around, it's quite obvious that there are more of us than there are of them. If we were to band together and pool our knowledge of each individual hero, then there's a chance we can formulate the perfect strategy to defeat each of our opponents."

"Theoretically our combined resources could be most... ... formidable..." Rudy the Clown stroked his chin, his eyes bulging in amusement. "But perhaps a little excessive."

"Perhaps not!" King Boo disagreed immediately, earning an odd look from the demon clown.

The ghost understood all too well just how annoying and unpredictable things could get. His plan to defeat Mario had worked perfectly, yet when push came to shove it was the less famous and arguably weaker Luigi of all people who proved to be the superior ghost fighter. What was the chance the green plumber would not only escape the mansion, but happen to encounter the one person on the planet with the right technology to combat spirits. It was embarrassing to admit, but perhaps Bowser was actually onto something with this crazy plan.

"I thought my plans were perfect until unforeseen circumstances ruined everything." the round specter twirled in midair, rubbing his tiny arms together eagerly.

Ludwig heard the ghost monarch's words and smiled, revealing his large front fang. "Seems to me that good guys have a habit of joining forces and exploiting outside help from anybody. They make friends with each other and other people to achieve victory. If we were to do the same thing, who knows how deliciously evil the results could be."

Bowser took the microphone from his minion, pumping his fist in the air triumphantly. "What's it gonna be, fellas? Wanna continue getting curbstomped by those rotten do-gooders for the rest of your lives, or is it finally time to step into the spotlight and win one for the team!?"

His words seemed to resonate with the giant crowd who slowly to clap, one person at a time until everyone in the square agreed with the sentiment. As the applause echoed throughout Neo Bowser City, even the more reluctant villains joined in. Certainly the plan seemed unorthodox compared to everything they had ever done before, but with so few viable options available, the Koopa King suddenly seemed to make a lot of sense. Certainly all of them had been defeated while working alone, but if everyone stood together, who knew what could happen. The prospect of teamwork among arch villains was largely unknown, but regardless of personal opinions, they all felt a sense of evil-spirited hope that their dreams would soon become reality.


-Three Days Later- Mushroom Kingdom

It was another beautiful day at Mushroom Castle, and the servants had cleared their monarch's schedule for an afternoon with her friends. The Mario Bros. had come by for a routine visit, and were playing a doubles match of tennis against Peach and Toad. The Royal Tennis Court was located directly behind the castle, so close that even Toadsworth had deemed it a safe spot for the four old friends to spend the afternoon. Nevertheless, the elder Toad's doting nature remained strong as ever, prompting him to sit in as the referee. Not that they minded, considering he had done so many times during official tournaments and was experienced in the role.

"Advantage, server!" the elderly steward eyed them through his tiny round glasses.

Luigi exhaled deeply, trying to catch his breath. "They got us pretty good last round, huh bro? Think we can pull through?"

"It ain't over till someone wins!" the red-clad brother tightened his grip on the racket and stepped forward challengingly. "C'mon princess, don't hold back! Give us your best shot!"

"All right boys, let's see you return this one!" Peach spun on her heal, her footwork like a graceful dance as she smashed the ball.

"Let'sa go!" Mario turned his racket backwards, stumbling slightly as he hit it back.

"Great shot!" Toad zipped around eagerly, the mushroom man's speed more than compensating for his short reach.

The smaller player crossed the field instantly, though his returns were somewhat weaker than his human compatriots. The four quickly began to sweat as the game intensified, none giving an inch to their opponents. Peach did a small pirouette as she prepared her signature move, adding a nasty spin to the ball's trajectory while exerting as much force as she could muster. Her shot had the desired effect, the green-clad plumber spiraling out of control as he tried to intercept it.

"Mama mia!" Luigi tripped face first onto the artificial turf, his eyes spinning as his brother tripped over his body and landed on his butt.

"Game, set, and match!" Toadsworth called out, a proud smile hidden behind his thick mustache. As the royal steward, he had practically raised the princess since birth, seeing her as the daughter he never had. There was no one prouder of who she grew up to be. "Well done, Princess Peach!"

"It was nothing, really... I do my best to be the best!" she wiped the sweat from her brow, giving her long blonde hair a playful toss.

The effect was not lost on Mario, who quickly hid a small blush. "Seems like you've been getting a lot of practice lately!"

"Don't be so modest. Playing against you guys is what keeps me in top form. I have to be if we want to win the big tournament this year."

While the others relied on basic form and their own natural abilities, the Princess had come to rely on skill and technique during sporting events. Maybe it was her tendency to get kidnapped that fueled her determination, but she refused to be shown up by her friends in any competition, and practiced advanced maneuvers to counter their superhuman strengths. It required a lot of effort on her part, but she enjoyed the exercise and saw it as a way of staving off the stress that came with ruling a kingdom.

Mario retrieved the ball, gently tossing it to her. "Speaking of the competition, I invited a few more people to participate this year. You don't mind, do you Princess?"

"Of course not. I was actually considering doing so myself." She absentmindedly crammed her equipment into a nearby gym bag. "In fact, Prince Peasley expressed an interest in attending the next time we hold a sports meet up."

Toad let out a sigh that sounded more like a groan. "I don't see why not, considering we keep letting Bowser and his flunkies in. Not to mention there's also a bunch of other guys we don't exactly get along with."

The pink-clad monarch let out a nervous laugh. "The non-aggression pact for sporting events is an international treaty."

"What about the time Bowser tried to drop a blimp full of Bob-ombs on top of the Royal Stadium?" Luigi swallowed nervously at the memory.

Mario stroked his mustache with a firm nod. "Not to mention that baseball game a while ago where Wario's team lost and he tried blasting me to the moon with a Banzai Bill as payback."

"While we don't always see eye-to-eye, its this intense rivalry between enemies that keeps things interesting around here."

Toadsworth leapt from the referee chair, using his cane to maintain balance as he touched the ground. "My dear girl... I mean no offense, but there are times when you can be far too forgiving for your own good."

"Just because people do bad things, it doesn't mean they lack any and all redeeming qualities." she looked towards the sky with a gentle expression, allowing the breeze to tousle her hair. "While there is no excuse for such behavior, I know everyone has some good deep down inside, even if it doesn't always show."

Mario watched her rest her hand against her cheek, a familiar warm sensation coursing through his stomach. He pat himself on the belly to dismiss the awkward feeling. "Um, so about what I was saying earlier..."

"Oh yes, that's right! You were talking about inviting more guests to the sports festival. We've met so many people over the years, I can only imagine how many would show up if we extended an invitation to all of our friends."

"Last week I visited some of the places we've been to check up on them, and a few expressed an interest in coming."

"Who'd you pick, bro?" Luigi prodded, silently hoping there weren't any ghosts on the list.

"The Sprixie Princess and Rosalina said they wanted to come again this year. Vivian expressed an interest in coming. I also ran into Flurry and Doopliss while visiting Twilight Town, and they all said yes!"

"Oh my, that's just wonderful!" Princess Peach clapped her hands together excitedly.

"Not finished yet!" Mario pulled out a paper from his side pocket, his eyes scanning the list of possible attendees. "The Shiverian Elder promised he'd bring along some of his best racers for the cross-country rally. Raphael Raven says he'll be hitching a ride with the Yoshi Gang. Lady Bow said she'd also try to make it."

His brother cringed at the thought. Knowing the noble had helped them in the past did little to alleviate his fear of Boos. "You didn't invite King Boo, did you?"

Mario shook his head. "He might show up with Bowser's crew, but it wouldn't be nice for me to do that to you on purpose." He paused for a moment before smiling. "Oops, I almost forgot! Pauline said she might show up to represent the Metro Kingdom!"

"Isn't she the woman who used to make toys for your company?" Toad shrugged.

"She quit some time ago to pursue a political career back home in New Donk City. Imagine the shock last month when I visited our old stomping grounds and found out she became the mayor!"

"You sure have been mentioning her a lot, lately." Luigi thought back. "I remember when you guys used to date... At the time, it seemed you were practically walking on air."

Truthfully had had done some pretty dumb things the day he met Pauline. Distracted by her beauty he had stumbled face first into a sidewalk, almost caused an accident while crossing a busy street to talk to her, practically forgot his own name while introducing himself, and even tried to impress her with some dated dance moves done to the tune of elevator music. Looking back now he had made a fool of himself that day, making him question why she even agreed to their first date at all. Mario blushed deeply at the memory, barely noticing that the princess was carefully watching him.

Toadsworth noticed she was shifting her feet uneasily before gently tugging at her sleeve. "Is there something wrong, princess?"

"N-Not at all!" she blurted out a little too quickly, causing him to furrow his brow in concern. She turned her away, hoping the elderly steward hadn't seen the look on her face. She smiled again before approaching the heroic plumber. "She's a lovely person and one of your oldest friends. I would love it if she could come."

"During my visit, I thanked her for giving you that tour of the city." Mario began to explain, though he felt suddenly awkward upon remembering the full scope of their conversation. Especially the part about his very close friendship with a certain princess. He made certain to leave that out while recounting his visit to the princess.

Peach noticed his twiddling thumbs and crude posture, making her wonder what exactly they had talked about. The slight color in his cheeks made her question the nature of his visit, bringing about an odd feeling inside that the princess did not recognize or understand. Whatever it was caused her stomach to tighten the more Mario talked about his old flame. Unbeknownst to her, Luigi and Toadsworth were eying the pair pensively. It was safe to say that nobody knew the plumber and princess better than they did, and both men were thinking the exact same thing.

As the red-clad finished talking about his vacation, she remained silent for a second before blinking, looking almost as if she had just emerged from a trance. "She's a lovely person. I would love it if she could come."

Mario scratched his head with a gloved hand. "Um, didn't you just say that a minute ago?"

"Did I!?" the princess blinked again, looking slightly embarrassed and unsure of what had just happened. She wiped her forehead and exhaled, straining her eyes against the light. "Oh dear, perhaps I've spent a little too much time in the sun today."

"My dear, is the heat getting to you?" Toadsworth held out a flowery pink parasol.

"I'll be fine after I get something to drink." she reached for her water bottle, only to find it empty.

"Here, you can take a sip from mine!" Mario held out his own, causing her to hesitate.

Normally she would have obliged, but for some reason she couldn't bring herself to do it. "No need... I... I think it would be better if I went back inside for a while."

"No problem, miss! You can rejoin us when you're ready!" Toad piped up, sounding as cheerfully oblivious as ever.

"Feel better soon!" Luigi waved after her, but she had already began walking in the direction of the castle.

She accepted the parasol from Toadsworth, who spared a glance back at the others. "Do feel free to enjoy our facilities until we return." he bowed to them politely. "As always, I implore you fine gentleman to make yourselves at home."

"Thank you for understanding." Peach turned and waved with her free hand before continuing after her attendant.

Once she had gone, the brothers began playing a singles tennis match with Toad serving as the new referee. The trio remained silent accept for calling out scores and commentary, though several minutes later, their peaceful afternoon was interrupted by a familiar pair of screams. They spun around in the direction of the shouting, spotting a red-spotted male Toad wearing an explorer's vest and searchlight. Accompanying him was pink female Toad with white spots and what appeared to be twin braids trailing from her cap. The two came sprinting across the grounds towards the Tennis Court, stopping to take in some much needed breaths.

"Something wrong, guys?" Toad greeted his fellows with a frown.

Captain Toad glanced around worriedly. "The castle guards said Princess Peach was out back with you guys! Where'd she go!?"

"She just turned in for the afternoon." Luigi offered helpfully, causing the pair to exchange worried expressions.

"I'm glad you guys are here! Toad Town is being attacked by a massive number of bad guys!"

Mario dropped his tennis racket while running over, leaving it forgotten on the ground. "What's going on!? Is Bowser attacking us!?"

"I think so, but I'm not entirely sure..." the captain began maddeningly, looking confounded by the memory of what he had seen. "It's... weird... ..."

Toadette quickly cut in. "There's a ton of Koopa Troop stooges plundering the town, but we also saw a bunch of Crocodile men running around with them. It's like a parade of reptilian monsters destroying everything in its path!"

Luigi turned to his companions, looking just as lost as Toad. "What do ya make of it, bro?"

The elder plumber scratched his chin before remembering something important. "You remember those goalkeepers from the big soccer tournament, right? Sounds like there's Kremlings in town, and this time they're not here for a friendly little get-together."

"That's strange. I didn't know those lizards had something against the Mushroom Kingdom." Toad pondered more to himself than anyone else. "Last time I checked they were Donkey Kong's archenemies, not ours?"

Luigi threw both arms in the air, cursing their luck. "Why'd those crazy Crocodiles come here? It's not like we've got any bananas for them to steal!"

"I heard they tried taking over the world more than once... Maybe it's another one of those plans." the shorter man replied.

"This isn't helping!" Mario shouted, focusing the attention back onto himself. "Who cares why they're here If they're causing trouble, we have to stop them." he held out his fist. "What do ya say, guys? Who's with me!?"

"So long as it's not ghost-hunting, I'm in." Luigi placed a hand on top of his brother's.

Toad followed suit. "Count me in too! It's been a while since my last adventure, and this time we don't even have to leave town." the trio raised their hands together in a sign of friendship.

Mario addressed the two messengers first. "You guys warn Princess Peach and Toadsworth. Tell them the rest of us are going into town to handle the situation!" who both saluted before running back towards the castle. He turned to the others. "All right... Let'sa go!"


-Meanwhile- Donkey Kong Island

The DK Isles were home to several unique islands each home to a number of exotic species seen nowhere else in the Mushroom World. Donkey Kong Island was home to the Kong species of apes, Banana Fairy Island home to the rare pixies for which it was named, while Timber Island boasted a number of anthropomorphic animals seen nowhere else. Since the destruction of Crocodile Island and the subsequent banishment of the Kremling Krew, the archipelago had endured the invasion of the Tikis and Snowmads, and was now enjoying a rare of peace.

This break in the action had made the secluded paradise a popular tourist spot, and one ape had been capitalizing on the newfound market. Funky Kong was the least adventurous of his kin, despite his tendency to tinker around with vehicles and weapons. He closely resembled Donkey Kong in terms of fur and build, but unlike his friend who only wore a tie, the mechanic wore jeans and a white muscle shirt. The golden medallion, red bandana, and dark sunglasses gave off the impression of an easygoing surfer dude.

With his friends in no need of weapons and the kart races still months away, Funky had thrown together a makeshift convertible using old car parts and started a new career as a tour guide. Business was slow and his group consisted of only two people, a pair of Goombas who were less interested in the beach and had insisted on seeing the island's ancient architecture immediately. The elder Goomba was a male with swirls on his glasses and two tufts of graying hair on either side of his head, his protégé a pink female Goomba with rosy cheeks and long eyelashes.

"Here were are little Goomba dudes! They call this place Angry Aztec. The sandstorms are pretty nasty, so we might have to put the top up. Now, if you look to the left, you'll see..." Funky balked as the duo leapt from their seats in a excited frenzy. "Wait, ya can't jus' jump out o' the car in the middle of a tour!"

"Truly fascinating..." Professor Frankly glanced around, completely ignoring the Kong's protests.

"I have to agree, this is certainly much more amazing than the brochure let on!" the female Goomba took out a large green book and flipped through the pages rapidly. "The architecture definitely shows some similarities with what we saw in Kremlantis and Millstone Mayhem. Perhaps those menacing Crocodilians were responsible for their construction."

The elderly teacher shuffled over to her, repeatedly looking between the pictures in her scrapbook and the temples laid out before their eyes. "It's not so simple, Goombella. I admire your reasoning, but archaeologists have been trying to find that very answer for ages."

"Statues of Kremlings can be found in the other two locations. Wouldn't that mean the remnants of this city would also have been left behind by the same civilization?"

"Ah, but despite many attempts by colleagues to prove or disprove such a connection, no such monuments have ever been found within these walls." he replied challengingly. "I believe the builders may have been inspired by the architecture of Kremlantis, but that does not guarantee both cities belonged to the same ancient empire."

"Perhaps we should take a peek inside of the temples to further our research?" she seemed positively excited at the prospect.

The professor considered her request for a moment. "Hmmm... Yes, I suppose we could... ..."

"No ya don't!" Funky Kong shouted, forcing the attention back onto himself.

Goombella arched an eyebrow. "And why would that be? We were told this tour covered the ancient ruins on the island."

Her professor followed suit. "Indeed, certainly you were not lying."

"Normally I might consider taking you on a tour of the main temple, but Cranky Dude says the rest o' the family's still lookin' for Snowmads who might still be hidin' on the island."

"Snowmads?" Frankly exchanged a confused glance with his student. "Sounds a bit like an old wives' tale. I've never heard of them."

Goombella seeming pulled an encyclopedia out of her pack and begin searching it. "I can't find anything in here about them. What are they?"

"Just a band of bad guys who tried turning this poor island into a frozen tundra. Real nasty dudes with bad tudes, if ya know what I'm sayin'?"

She pouted for a second before glancing back at the tour guide. "What about that big temple in the northern half of the ruins? I heard a friendly talking llama lives inside."

Funky frowned awkwardly at the mention. "The dude gives me the creeps..." he hesitated again, looking slightly embarrassed at the memory. "Not to mention he heard me say that out loud once and got kinda angry. Banned me from the place til I say I'm sorry, but I don't plan on apologizin', especially after he spit in my face."

While his student appeared annoyed by the odd revelation, Professor Frankly could only sigh. "Well I suppose this trip won't be the big archaeological breakthrough we were hoping for."

"Sorry bout that, little dudes." the surfer ape slumped his large shoulders. "Normally tourists come here to relax on the beaches and ski in the mountains, not ta look at some dusty ol' ruins."

"I heard this island was the place where the famous Donkey Kong lives. Didn't know the locals would be such cowards." Goombella spoke.

Professor Frankly shook his head disapprovingly. "No need to be so forward, young lady."

"Oops, sorry about that." she suddenly looked ashamed at her own boldness.

Truthfully she hadn't been on a real adventure since Mario let Rogueport, and had begun to feel restless. It had been dangerous more often than not, but she would never forget the thrill of fighting alongside her friends for the greater good. Being an aspiring archaeologist took up most of her time nowadays, but there were times when the young Goomba longed for the excitement she had experienced back then.

"A lot o' people expect me to be more like my friends... DK's my best pal, but that doesn't mean I go on adventures with 'em." Funky replied, pointing both thumbs at himself. " This dude's a lover, not a fighter! But if I knew you wanted to see it all, I woulda hooked you up with someone who's up to the job!"

"Could you?" the elderly Goomba leaned forward hopefully.

"Wow, you're saying Donkey Kong himself could show us around!?" she questioned excitedly.

"Well, I could definitely ask him when we get back to the village." the tour guide let his gaze wander off for a moment before jumping like a panicked kangaroo, his eyes almost bulging out from behind his sunglasses. "Whoa dudes, I'm sensin' some really negative vibes!"

Goombella smelled smoke in the air, before looking down at the green valley some distance away. Not only was the jungle on fire, but a large serpentine dragon was flying around over the village, balls of fire erupting from his mouth and engulfing the trees.

"Sorry, but I gotta go!" Funky jumped into his car, holding out a hand when they tried to follow. "Looks pretty dangerous down there. You guys are probably safer up here in the mountains!"

"And you'll just leave us here like sitting ducks!?" she spat incredulously before jumping into the back seat. "Sorry, but not happening."

The professor ignored him. "Fire spreads, and that monster doesn't look like he's going to stay in one place. We should head to the nearest source of water and wait it out."

"We'll probably be safer at my place by the shore. I may not look like it, but I dapple in military technology in my spare time and I built a bunker underneath the shop." The surfer dude hit the gas, the engine roaring as they rocketed towards the southern beach.

"Don't you see what's going on!? We can't just do nothing!" Goombella shouted over the motor.

"Who said I was!" Funky shot back. "Got some awesome equipment and weapons back at the shack, not to mention a super gnarly industrial fire extinguisher." he smiled. "I don't fight, but that doesn't mean I can't help out."

"Oh, if only Mario were here." she groaned, shuddering as the makeshift vehicle rattled dangerously.


-Meanwhile- Outer Space

Rosalina clapped shut her story book, taking a moment to relax in her chair. "And so Baby Luma was reunited with his mother, and Mario saved the Comet Observatory and all who dwelt there."

The ageless woman had spent the last hour or so in the library, reading her collection of stories to a number of newborn Lumas. Being so young they had not been present during Mario's visits, so she took advantage of this by using his adventures to provide entertainment for the baby stars. While many books in her collection were written for entertainment alone, most were based on true events that the Lady of the Stars had personally experienced. Having seen so many amazing things in her centuries lone journey through the cosmos, it was hardly difficult to find new material for her precious children.

A single tiny pink Luma remained awake, despite her fellows having fallen asleep. "Then what happened, mama?" it floated over to her side.

"Ah yes, I remember." She accepted the young one into her waiting arms, allowing it to sit on her lap. "Everyone lived happily ever after, and thanks in part to the brave actions of one man, they would continue this way for ages to come..."

The Luma let out a childlike squeal before gentle falling asleep in her arms, the ghost of a smile reaching her guardian's lips. Setting down the creature, Rosalina glided from the library and quietly as she could, gently closing the door behind her as she did so. Her reading room was soundproof and often served as a nursery for the youngest stars. While she often thought back on her past life with nostalgic regret, moments like this reminded her of why she had chosen to become mother to the Lumas.

Rosalina exhaled slowly before straightening her posture, silently returning to the large monitor in the center of the observatory. It kept track of the satellite's location at all times, and acted as both an interface and navigation system. The diagram on the screen showed that they were currently in orbit around the Mushroom World, the place where she had found friendship after so long of being only a mother. While it seemed selfish of her to remain when the universe was so vast, even ten human lifetimes was barely the blink of an eye in the life of a star. After devoting her existence to the Lumas for so long, the elderly Polari had convinced her to enjoy the friendships she had made while able. No sooner had she thought about him, that the Black Luma appeared by her side.

"Hello, my old friend." she raised her head at his familiar presence, quickly noticing his jittery movements. "Oh dear, is there something wrong?"

Polari shook violently, though his voice remained even and rational. "It's an emergency situation. The Comet Observatory is under attack!"

"What... ... ..." the Lady of the Stars replied monotonously, her emotionless gaze wavering ever so slightly. "Is it that monster, Bowser's doing?"

"We don't believe so!" the elderly Luma responded, the floor beneath them shaking violently seconds later.

Rosalina seemed to have anticipated this and quickly hovered to avoid it, her lithe form remaining undisturbed despite the unstable floor. She floated over to the main control module, placing a hand on the surface. "Prepare to make a hyperspace jump. We can make our escape before the enemy is able to harm the young ones."

"I'll ready the launch stars." he replied, earning the tiniest of nods from his superior.

Her advisor whizzed off in the opposite direction, leaving her alone amidst the chaos. Groups of frightened Lumas floated by in small huddles, many squealing like terrified children, though for once she could not afford to stop and comfort them. The ship had taken no damage and would not be harmed so long as the barrier remained active, but she thought it better to simply distance themselves from the attackers for now rather than wait out the barrage. In doing so, she hoped it would discourage others from trying to attack her precious children in the future.

She prepared the interface and braced for the sudden movement, but nothing happened. "What is this?" she questioned out loud.

A Green Luma approached her from behind. "There seems to be a problem with the main power source."

"The Grand Stars?" Rosalina's stone-like expression changed to one of quiet concern, the screen behind her flickering to reveal an unfamiliar face.

"You seem to be looking a little down in the dumps, huh lady?" Tatanga's diminutive purple form appeared on the large monitor behind her, greeting her with a large fanged smile. "Hope you're ready for some fun, cause I've got big plans for this giant ship of yours!"


Note to Readers: Hope you enjoyed it. I'd like to hear your opinions on the story content, and I'm open to suggestions if anyone had any ideas. I apologize for any typos, but a lot of things have been known to slip through the cracks when I proofread my work.