The day was calm and peaceful, seagulls flying overhead, as Soshi watched the sea aboard the S.S. Riviera, Peach's best ship. With it's sleek metal rod-like shape, coupled with its cleverly disguised cannons, missiles and the like, it looked more like in belonged in the air than at sea. It was well built for both speed and protection. Soshi was still handcuffed, and now he was tied to the mast. It was obvious Peach didn't like him one bit. Not at this moment anyway.
Soshi looked over his left shoulder. The wind was caressing her blond hair, amplifying the expression of concern on her face. She was still skeptical about this whole thing. At one point, she started to get up, but then sat back down again, never changing her face, and never breaking her gaze at the horizon. Soshi looked to his right and found one of Peach's guards looking sternly at him, keeping tabs on him. Behind the muscular being, he could make out the others at a small table playing Texas Hold-em.
Soshi sighed and closed his eyes. He questioned why Peach would endanger her own life trying to prove him wrong. Then again, she was royalty, and could do anything she wanted. Soshi looked out to sea and wondered whether Koujin would already prepared something for them.
"Land ho!" someone cried. Soshi looked directly overhead at a Toad in the crow's nest, pointing frantically. Soshi looked and saw it once again. The infernal land that had his mother trapped inside. He didn't want to come back, but he had had no choice. As he was untied, one of the guards brandishing a cutlass began poking Soshi in the back with it, guiding him along.
"Wait." Peach said. "He's our guide. Lead the way, Sky Yoshi." There was a hint of disgust in Peach's voice.
Soshi walked up front and led the crew through the tunnels to the prison hold. This wasn't the way Soshi got it last time, so on a few instances, he had to spread his wings and catch the cold breeze coming from the room. Just as Peach was getting impatient, they entered the massive room. Soshi's first instinct was to look to his left. When he did, he gasped and felt his world was shattered. There, in plain sight, was his mother's cage, or what was left of it. The icicles had been cut clean off, and Sosha was nowhere to be found.
"Well, let's spread out, search for anything suspicious." Peach ordered. After a partial combing of the room, one of the guards pointed to a small rock. Inside was a tiny security camera. He took it out and tried to crush it between his fingers, but it was surprisingly sturdy. He threw it on the ground and proceeded to stomp it, but only slipped and landed in a heap on the ground. Soshi walked up to it, gave it one slash, and it split in two. Ignoring the gawks, he returned to his mothers cage.
"Look for more." Peach said, and walked up to him. "What is so interesting about this spot?" she asked.
Soshi took a deep breath, and blew it out slowly. "This was my mother's cell. This is where Koujin, the Ice Lord trapped her. Now she's gone. He may have killed her." Soshi stopped to suppress his tears. "He may have not. I don't know. But I must stop him."
"So, where is he now?" Peach questioned.
Silence from Soshi told her the answer. Actually, a rumbling sound did. A strong wave of absolutely frigid air swept the room, and when it left, there was a big stalagmite of ice in the center of the room. Immediately, it broke and the most terrifying thing anyone had ever seen flew out. Soshi had seen him before. He wanted to take him down here and now, but knew that was impossible.
Koujin looked down with bloodthirsty eyes. He took out his blue wand and pointed it directly at Soshi.
"Like mother like son." He said and fired a deadly energy wave at Soshi. In his handicapped state, Soshi could do nothing but brace himself. He flinched waiting for impact. It never came. The soldier brandishing the cutlass used its shiny side to deflect the blast back at Koujin for a lucky direct hit. In the momentary confusion, Peach quickly undid the handcuffs binding Soshi and pointed to one of her guards.
"Alpha T. get everybody out of here!" She pulled out a walkie-talkie. Beta T., Gamma T., prepare the S.S. Riviera's weapons. Koujin rose out of smoke and flew upward again. Peach, her guards and Soshi began running for the exit.
"Delta T-AAAAAAHHHHHHH!" Peach screamed and fell flat on the ground, unconscious. Koujin had struck her in the back with the same energy wave he had used against Soshi. Quickly, Soshi picked her up and ran towards the exit. Small explosions came from both sides as Koujin pursued and the S.S. Riviera waiting outside fired.
Koujin was coming ever closer, he was slicing through the guards following Soshi one by one. He was only a few feet behind him now. Soshi at last saw the light, and sprinted for it. The blinding sun fell on his face as he jumped aboard the ship, carrying Peach with him. Two Toads on the upper deck proceeded to fire at the Ice Lord, who for once, wasn't ready. Missiles screamed through the air, and cannonballs fired. A thick cloud of smoke was growing in front of the massive glacier.
"Hold your fire." One of the toads commanded. The weapons stopped, and the smoke began to dissipate. Koujin was gone.
"He'll be back." Soshi said. Right now we must get back to the castle. He looked at the prone Peach lying on the deck of the ship. He knew it was too dangerous. She probably did, too. Why had she not trusted him? Soshi thought the distant past was behind him. He contemplated these thoughts, trying to answer them, the entire voyage back.