Hey everybody! It's that time of day again for… another chapter of "The Alliance." I dedicate this chapter to, ahem, James Birdsong - for reviewing all of my chapters so far - and Senom299 - for the good idea. I tweaked it a bit but it should be pretty good. So without further ado… here's chapter 7! It's short but school is in the way of writing time, but enjoy anyway!
Chapter 7:
New Allies
"D-d-d-did you guys just see that?!" Doopliss whispered to the group. They had just witnessed the rise of the Shadow Queen from their hiding place in the shadows, courtesy of Vivian.
"Of course we did you numbskull! We're right here!" Vivian whisper-yelled.
"Well what are we going to do dudes? We can't fight that Shadow thing again; not without Gonzales anyway." Crash said.
"Gosh, that was a weird creature. I don't think we can stop it by ourselves." Mimi told the group.
"Well what do you think we should do Doopliss?" Koops asked.
"I don't know. I thought that if I found you guys than that would be enough, but now I'm not sure."
"Well obviously that's not enough dude. We need a lot of firepower and we need it now before it's too late." Crash said. It was true, although they were strong they needed to be stronger.
"Well, anybody got any ideas?" Doopliss asked.
"Here's an idea, let's get out of here before we end up getting caught. I can't hold us through the shadows forever you know." Vivian said.
"Yeah, maybe we should get out of here." Doopliss led the group out of the Palace of Shadow and out of the Thousand Year Door. They reached Rogueport underground, where they found a city full of people, obviously trying to hide from the impending doom.
"What the heck! How come we didn't know about this place? Besides, I don't think that this place will keep these people safe for long." Doopliss yelled.
"Ouch! Could you please stop screaming in my ear? It's really giving me a head - AHH!" Mimi ended up tripping on something.
"Mimi, are you okay?" Doopliss asked, reaching his hand out to help her.
"Yeah I'm fine. I just tripped on something." She picked it up and showed it to the group.
"What the heck is it?" Crash asked.
"Hey! What are you doing with my machine?!" Someone yelled. They turned around to see a purple crocodile with an orange hat and a bag slung over his shoulders.
"Oh my gosh, is that your machine? I'm so sorry." Mimi apologized.
"It's okay, really. I just want it back."
"Oh okay, here's your…"
"D.I.P." The crocodile finished for her.
"What the heck is a dip?" Doopliss asked.
"It's not a 'dip' as you so plainly put it. It's a D.I.P., Dimensional Input Projector. It's not finished but when it is, I'll be able to open up Dimensional Gateways anywhere and to anywhere." The crocodile explained.
"Really! That's so cool dude! By the way, what's your name?" Crash asked.
"The name's Croco, master thief extraordinaire." Croco said.
"Thief? You mean your not a good guy?" Koops asked.
"Hey watch it turtle boy! Yeah, I'm a good guy, but hey even good guys need to pay rent." Croco said.
"Gosh, that doesn't sound very heroic." Mimi said.
"Hey I helped Mario defeat that guy Smithy."
"What?"
"Who?"
"When?"
"Where?"
"Why?" The group asked their fair share of questions.
"Okay in order: You heard me I helped Mario. The guy's name was Smithy. A few years ago. At Bowser's Keep on Vista Hill. And because I didn't want to be killed." Croco told the group.
"Wow talk about a hero." Vivian said.
"Guys, I am not a hero. I'm just a crook who does things for his own gain. That's it." Croco said.
"Well regardless of what you are, you have the thing we need to save the kingdom." Doopliss said.
"You mean the D.I.P.? Yeah, good luck getting me to finish that in only a few days."
"Well how long will it take?" Koops asked.
"About a few weeks."
"Weeks? We only have a few days. You have to finish it now!" Doopliss said.
"Look guys I'm sorry but there's just no way to finish it in time. Where are you guys headed anyway?"
"Bowser's Keep." They all said.
"Well I hate to burst your bubble but there's no way of getting there. A long time ago the bridge was destroyed and now there's no way of getting there anymore."
"What?! Are you kidding me?!" Crash yelled, jumping on Croco.
"I came all the way from Glitzville to follow these guys and I'm not just going to give up and go back to be killed! So you listen you stupid crocodile, you better finish that whatever it is so we can get there or I'm going to hurt you!" Crash threatened. Croco thought it over for a few seconds.
"Fine, I'll see what I can do, but not here. We have to go to my hideout… uh home… and I'll fix it there. Just follow me." And with that the group followed the mysterious Croco to his house.
"Hey Bowser."
"Yeah?"
"About Grodus, well I think he's going to turn on us."
"What makes you so sure?"
Flashback
After reviving the Shadow Queen, Dimentio was looking for Grodus at Bowser's Keep to discuss their plan."Grodus is harder to find than a mongoose in a mulberry bush. Wait, what did I just say?" Dimentio's rambling was cut short when he heard a voice, more specifically Grodus's.
"Those blubbering buffoons have no idea what's in store for them. With my new powers granted to me by the Shadow Queen, I can rule this whole entire world! GACK ACK ACK ACK ACK! I can make those two my very own court jesters, though Dimentio already has that part down.
End Flashback
"Oh just a hunch." Dimentio said.
"Well than what do you think we should do?" Bowser asked.
"Well obviously our combined powers aren't enough to take on Grodus, but if we had someone else than we could defeat him."
"Do you have anyone in mind?"
"Well, he's powerful at least"
"Who do you have in mind?!" This time Bowser put emphasis on each word.
"Just come with me."
Bowser followed Dimentio to the forest in Goomba Village."So how do you know this guy anyway?"
"Well he ended up flying past me one day and we had a little 'chat'."
"Okay… anyway are we almost there yet?!"
"Ah here we are, Goomba Forest."
"So where is-"
"Hey what are you two doing in my forest?!" Bowser and Dimentio saw a little yellow koopa still in his egg.
"Why hello there Jr. Troopa. I hope us stopping by isn't any trouble."
"Dimentio?! Oh uh yeah I mean no, no trouble at all. My forest is your forest. Make yourselves at home!" Jr. Troopa seemed to be afraid of Dimentio.
"What's his deal?"
"Ah don't mind him. He's always a little jumpy."
"So what do you guys want?" Jr. Troopa asked.
"Well we sort of have this 'friend' who is planning on betraying us and we need your help."
"Ha! You've got to be kidding me! What's this little runt going to do?" Bowser said. Just than, Jr. Troopa's shape changed; he now had a spike, wings, and a staff.
"Sweet! Welcome to the Bowser Association of Destroying!" Bowser said happily, although Dimentio wondered where he got that idiotic name from.
Will Croco be able to finish his D.I.P in time, and will Bowser and Dimentio's new ally, Jr. Troopa, be able to help them bring down Grodus?