Chapter 5
Unusual encounter
Roy and Marth headed back to the hotel. For the sake of fitness, they hadn't taken their cars to get to the coliseum; they walked.
"I hate to admit it, but that dirtbag is stronger than me..." Roy said as they walked down the sidewalk.
"No kidding. I thought you'd just break his hold," Marth said. "Guess you'd better work out some more, eh?"
"Har har. Remember, he had a knife to my throat."
"Okay, true."
Roy put his hands behind his head and exhaled tiredly. "What a day. I tell ya, any more enemies, and we're done."
Marth chuckled. "Psh. I'll take on whatever you don't want-"
A short figure darted into the alley from the phone booth ahead.
Both of them immediately took their combat stances. Marth gave Roy a battle signal that only the two of them knew: Be quiet and follow closely. Marth inched up to the alley and peeked around the corner. There wasn't anyone there, but the person who had vanished had piqued their curiosity.
"Should we?" Roy whispered.
Marth nodded, and they sprinted down the alley.
As they ran, a very large hand bolted out of an alley and grabbed Marth. Roy stopped cold. He turned around.
"Marth?" He walked back to the alley they had just passed. A large figure was running down the alley with Marth unconscious over its shoulder. Roy took off after him. Roy was much faster than the runner ahead. He caught up fairly easily, but noticed that the runner was in fact a large turtle with metal spikes all over its shell.
A running turtle? Roy wondered. He dove for the turtle's tail and the turtle fell. Roy grabbed the turtle by his wild red hair and pulled him up. He put his long sword to the turtle's throat.
"Who are you, and what's the big idea?!" Roy yelled, panting.
"What's it to ya?" the turtle spit.
"Answer me!" Roy shouted, pressing his sword a little harder into his neck.
The turtle gulped. "Fine. It's Bowser."
"I've heard of you... Yeah, you're that dope who kidnaps that princess all the time for no apparent reason!"
Bowser rolled his eyes. "I don't do that no more," he said, shifting Marth uncomfortably. "I got better things to do." He pointed at the sword at his throat. "Could you let up?"
Roy knew he could deflect whatever prank this lowlife had up his sleeve, so he sheathed his sword.
"Ugh. Thanks," Bowser said, rubbing his throat with his clawful hand. He stood up, and set Marth down.
"You wanna tell me what's going on here?" Roy asked.
"Right. Okay...so I didn't really want to do this."
"Do what? Who are you working for?" Roy pushed.
Bowser put his palm on his forehead. "Look, Ganondorf hired me as a hit man. I was supposed to grab him, and bring him back alive. I really needed the money...ain't nothin' personal."
Roy smiled. So typical, he thought. "Ha, I wasn't expecting a shrimp like you to have that job. Ganon's really losing it."
Bowser gave him a hateful glare. "I could so beat you."
Roy drew his sword. "Is that a challenge?"
Bowser sighed. "I'll make this quick." He swiped at Roy's head.
Marth began to come out of it. He picked up his head, and rubbed his eyes. He glanced in the direction of the slashing and yelling. What he saw picked him right up. He stood, and drew his Falchion.
"Ah! You're awake!" Roy said cheerfully, still swashbuckling. "Join the party!" He put a clean slice across Bowser's right cheek.
"Gladly," Marth replied, starting to hack at Bowser as well. His spiked hide was stronger than steel, so Marth decided to hit the front.
"No fair!" Bowser yelled, swatting at the storm of swords.
All of a sudden, a foot came out of nowhere and kicked Bowser ten feet down the alley. "That's-a my job!" said a short man in blue overalls with a red shirt and hat.
Roy and Marth stepped aside. "Be our guest," Roy said.
The little man stopped in front of them. "Thank-a you." He ran down the alley and started beating the artichokes out of Bowser.
"Who's he?" Marth asked.
"He looks familiar... I think his name is Mario."
"Oh, yeah! That guy who's constantly rescuing that princess!"
"That's the one."
Marth chuckled. "He's not doing too bad for such a little guy."
"Well he's got experience. He's beat Bowser before."
They watched as Mario swung Bowser around by the tail and threw him over the building. He ran up to the brothers.
"Have either of you seen-a the princess?"
"Sorry, little man. He doesn't do that anymore."
"Oh..." Mario said. "Well I guess I'll go some-a where else."
Mario took off down the alley.
Marth and Roy looked at each other, and busted out laughing.
"Well," Roy said, wiping a tear from his eye, "I guess we should get back, eh?"
"That's enough for one evening. Let's go."