Brighton: Queen Sunstar does not own anything regarding the Mario brothers except the unfolding story below and some of the characters like Solance.
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Chapter Five: The First Shadow Key is Found
The brothers began the task of climbing down the mountain. The had arrived in the outskirts of Hoo village, so it was an easy walk down the mountain. They came up to the blackened area of land. The rotten egg smell was much stronger. Toads and Beanians worked together, digging through the blackened remains of trees, rocks, and other debris for survivors.
"What happened here?" Luigi asked, taking in the destruction.
"I don't-a know, but we-a are about to-a find out." Mario said, pointing skyward at a tall, blond haired figure, flying toward them. The figure landed.
"Prince Peasley!" Luigi cried, recognizing the Prince of Beanbean Kingdom.
"Greetings, Mario, and Luigi. Your timing couldn't be better. Who are your other two traveling companions? Lets talk in the castle gardens." The Prince said, greeting them. His voice sounded strained.
"Okay." Mario followed Peasley, the others close behind him. They walked to castle Beanbean, and soon found themselves in a well kept garden. Peasley led them to a gazebo, and they all sat down,
"You already know two of us, Me and Weegee, the other two are Wario, and Waweegee. We are on a mission to find the shadow keys and save Twila, the moon, so she can save Brighton, the sun." Mario began, hiding his accent, something he did in times of duress.
"Hello." Wario and Waluigi chimed, at the mention of their names.
"Greetings to you two, and welcome to Beanbean. I will tell you what happened. It started last night, when mom and I had an argument over the defense of the southern border. She stormed off for a walk in the northern Beanbean valley flats, and a few hours later, fire rained from the sky. We found her barbequed remains a day later. Her death was my fault. She would still be alive today if I had only not brought up the southern border." Prince Peasley stopped talking. It was clear that the memory was causing him pain.
"The fire that rained from the sky, did you get any recording of it?" Waluigi asked.
"We did, in fact. Come with me." Peasley led the brothers inside the castle and up to the top left tower. The room was filled with numerous computer screens. The far wall was dominated by a huge black screen. Below it, was a VCR. A koopa troopa dressed in a security uniform sat at a desk, and monitored the feed coming in on the many computer screens.
"This is the control room, and this is officer Kopek, head of security here in the castle. We have live feeds covering every area of Beanbean. This is what you will want to see." Prince Peasley pulled a video out of a shelf of videos, and popped it into the VCR. Kopek pulled out a remote control and turned on the black screen. He pushed the play button. On screen, a beautiful sunset was taking place. Mario recognized Brighton, as he set beyond Hoo Mountain. Suddenly, the fading reds and yellows was blacked out by a large shape.
"Lowser..." Wario growled, getting shushed by the others.
On screen, a plume of fire rained down on the land. Out of nowhere, Brighton came flying, defending the sky. There was a brief struggle, which ended with Brighton falling, defeated, from his sky. The video ended.
"I watch it all unfold. I had hoped that His Grace would defeat Lowser." Kopek spoke up, speaking perfect English with a hint of a Koopalin accent.
"His Grace?" Wario asked, confused.
"Koopalinians worship the sun. They are reptilian by nature, so they rely on the heat that Brighton and Solance provide on a daily basis." Prince Peasley explained.
"I see, to them, the sun is their god." Wario said.
"Prince Peasley, do you know of the shadow keys?" Waluigi asked.
"Yes, Eldstar had them hidden after the second great universal war. Only two have resurfaced. There is one here in Beanbean, and one somewhere in Nimbus Land." Prince Peasley answered.
"The key here in Beanbean, where is it at?" Mario asked.
"It is inside the main lab of the Hooniversity. I'll call ahead and let them know you are coming." Prince Peasley said.
"Ok, we will head out." Mario said. They headed out to the castle grounds.
"When will we eat? I am starving!" Wario complained.
"We will eat after we get the first shadow key." Luigi said.
"I-a agree." Mario said.
"Fine then, I will snack on my garlic!" Wario pulled out a clove of garlic, and ate it.
"Wario! Eat a breath mint! Your breath is bad enough to wake the dead!" Luigi cried.
"My breath is not that bad! See?" Wario took a big breath and blew it out.
There was the sound of moving bones. A Dry Bowser stepped into their path. It growled.
"My breath was that bad!" Wario screamed.
"Hey! I fought one of these five months ago! It was an end of world boss!" Mario cried, "No worries! I know how to fight them! Eat fire!"
Mario threw a fireball at the Dry Bowser. It staggered, but kept coming. Waluigi tried a ball of water, but it only bounced off the skeleton. Wario tried throwing rocks at it. It staggered some more, but it kept right on coming.
"We need to try group attacks!" Luigi cried.
"I beat one of these things before. Let me try fire again!" Mario cried.
"Working together will work!" Luigi watched Mario power up a fireball, and powered up a ball of lightening. When Mario fired his fireball at the Dry Bowser, Luigi released his ball of lightening. Both attacks merged mid-flight and slammed into the Dry Bowser. It left a smoking hole in its side.
"Weegee! You were-a right! Lets-a attack as-a one!" Mario called. All four brothers formed a line. One by one, a water ball, a rock, a fireball, and a ball of lightening merged mid flight, and destroyed the Dry Bowser.
"We did it!" Waluigi said. He noticed that Wario was eating some breath mints.
"I ah, my breath stunk, so I'm fixing it!" Wario said, after everyone gave him an odd look.
They continued to walk down through southern Beanbean, and soon the towers of the Hooniversity came into view. They walked into the large building.
"Something is not right, here. It is quiet, way too quiet." Waluigi said.
"You are-a right." Mario whispered.
He led them to the main lab.
"Stop!" Luigi whispered, "I am hearing something!"
"What is it?" Wario asked.
"I can't tell! It sounds like somebody is talking!" Luigi whispered.
"Can you tell who?" Mario asked.
"Um, it sounds like-" Luigi never got to finish his sentence. The door flew open. Standing in the doorway was Grodus. (Paper Mario, The Thousand Year Door, third to last boss) Grodus wore the same basic outfit as before, except that it was all black. Even his staff was black.
"Grodus!" Mario screamed.
"Well, well, well, we meet at last. The first shadow key is mine! King Lowser will be thrilled to know I eliminated you!" Grodus snickered.
"Not if we eliminate you first!" Luigi cried.
"Lets work together like before!" Waluigi called.
"Agreed!" Mario cried, already forming a fireball. He let it fly. Wario levitated a rock and it joined the fireball. Soon, a ball of lightening and a ball of water joined the flaming rock. Grodus only chuckled evilly. The group attack only bounced harmlessly off of him.
"No way! It didn't work!" Waluigi cried.
"He just deflected our attacks!" Wario cried.
"Then we attack separately. Waweegee is first. Wario, myself, and Weegee are next." Mario said, "try to hit the x."
Waluigi fired off a ball of water. Wario was next, as he released a chunk of earth. Mario was right behind him with a fireball. Finally, Luigi released his ball of lightening. Each attack hit the X, and Grodus screamed.
"My turn! Fall of darkness!" Grodus screamed. It got dark, and purple lightening shot out everywhere. Luigi heard the others scream as they were hit by the lightening. He put his hand out and gathered the lightening. He threw it back toward Grodus. It hit home, and Grodus was defeated. The darkness fell away to reveal a shadow key.
"Yes! We have the first shadow key!" Luigi went and picked the black, faintly glowing key.
"Guys?" Luigi turned around. He saw Waluigi, on the floor, unmoving, with scorch marks up and down his body. Wario and Mario weren't in better shape.
"That lightening, I guess you guys weren't has lucky as I was." Luigi said.
"Ooh... I feel as if I was struck by lightening..." Wario was the first to come around. Mario was next.
"I am so going to feel this tomorrow..." Mario said, standing.
"Waluigi? Why isn't Waluigi coming around?" Wario asked.
"I am not sure. I think it is because water is weak against electricity." Luigi said.
"Did we get the key?" Waluigi asked, sitting up.
"Yes, and were you knocked out by the electricity?" Luigi asked.
"It was as if it were attracted to me. I was not knocked out, just stunned." Waluigi said, "Lets get back to castle Beanbean." All four brothers glowed for a brief second.
"What just happened?" Luigi asked.
"We have been given a power boost. Our powers have grown a little bit." Waluigi explained.
The four brothers stepped outside into the gloomy late afternoon.
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Queen Sunstar: Whew, this one is a long chapter. The next chapter is Onward to Nimbus Land.
Twila: (bored) Don't forget to review, now.