Chapter 8
Battle Lines Drawn

Dusk had settled on the desert, and the sun was blood red sinking in the sky. Its color foreshadowing the events of what the evening had in store. The temperature began to fall in the desert. The sand appeared to be a mix of orange, and red.

Kelly flew quickly knowing how dangerous it would get once the desert crossing was done. There was the savanna, which was inhabited by Yoshis, then the lower mountain area, which was under the control of Shy Guys. Kelly reached the savanna area, and ascended for stealth.

A regiment of training Yoshis was swiftly moving through the tall, and thick savanna grass. The leader was a green Yoshi with nothing special in particular about him. Everyone just referred to him as Yoshi. He was in training to become an officer, and Commanding Officer of a regiment. He was confident, and intelligent, and passing the test with flying colors.

He turned around to see a Klepto flying high, and fast. Knowing that Kleptos never came as far as the savanna Yoshi knew there was trouble. "Intruder in the air!" Yoshi warned. The regiment was filled with Yoshis who have been officers, and taken the test already. They looked up to see the intruder in the skies.

"All right Yoshi," began a different green Yoshi who was head of the Yoshi military. "You've done great but I need to take over from here, this isn't part of the test. Everybody eggs in the air!" the Yoshi commanded.

Immediately Yoshi, and the rest of the Yoshis had five eggs to throw. They began throwing the eggs from the ground.
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Kelly looked down to see eggs being thrown at her. "Aw crap," she muttered under her breath. She began her evasive maneuvers, dodging left, and right, and began diving to pick up speed. Once she had passed out of their range she began her ascent again to make it over the mountain.
The sun had finally fallen by the time Klepto had crossed the mountain. There was a waxing crescent moon shining in the night sky, along with the whole gamut of stars in the universe, illuminating the night with a beautiful luster. Kelly kept flying, and finally reached the Goomba village. Kelly then flew down to where Valerie's house was according to the address on the envelope. Kelly used her beak to knock on the door.

Valerie was just staring blankly at the envelope that contained the letter Josh had written her, with only the light of a single lantern. All of a sudden she heard a tap at the door. "Coming," she said surprised. She ran to the door with her lantern in hand, and opened the door. Outside was a Klepto with the possession of two envelopes.

"Ms. Valerie Goombetta I presume," stated the Klepto.
"Why yes," Valerie replied back.

"These are for you from Josh," Kelly stated.
"Why thank you," she said. "Could you bring this to him for me," she asked?

"Sure," Kelly said. "You might want to start getting the other Goombas out of here immediately, starting with the ones that are capable of fighting. War is inevitable. It starts tomorrow, that's one of those is about."

Valerie opened the first letter, which told about the battle on the mountain, and read it quickly. She then immediately opened the second one, which had the declaration of war. "I need to get everybody out of here immediately," she said concerned. "Thank you for your services, now hurry, and get out of here before hell brakes loose."

"Of course," Kelly stated. She then flew up, and away.
Valerie rushed out of her house to awaken the Goomba community shouting, "Josh has succeeded in his efforts we must get out of here quickly, word will reach the King in due time, make haste! Men capable of fighting are asked to leave immediately, and others are to be used as distractions to the Toadstool forces to be arrested while the capable fighters escape let's get moving!"

The village came alive as a massive amount of Goombas prepared to fulfill their assigned duties.

Toadsworth sat in his office at his computer awaiting a report on soldiers that had mysteriously gone missing from his military. He had not assigned any Toadstool anywhere other than the training grounds. The only reason that they would have gone anywhere is if someone went over his head, or if the King had taken them without asking advice first. All of a sudden, the King himself flung Toadsworth's door open.

"Well general, you lost 37 troops today at Shy Guy Mountain at the hands of Blizzards, and ten Goombas led by Josh," he began. "I warned you those Goombas were dangerous, and now that only three of your troops of the assigned survived how does…"

"What the hell were they doing out there in the first place your majesty?" Toadsworth asked outraged. The only reason they are dead is because you started this fight! Now I suppose I have to be the one to defend you! Well guess what I don't have much of a choice now! Get the hell out, and let me do my job you moron!" He threw his cane at the King, and the King closed the door swiftly enough to avoid being struck.

Toadsworth sighed, and walked over to his cane, and picked it up. He walked over to the secretary's office where a very young Toadstool secretary by the name of Toad was working diligently.

"Hand me the thing that makes me speak over the loud speaker thing," Toadsworth said.

Toad immediately handed him the phone. Toadsworth held the button down, and began his announcement.

"Red alert, red alert, inevitable threat to security. Battle stations everyone, this is not a drill, repeat this is not a drill." Toadsworth walked out to meet with Todd. He needed to make him the head of a regiment that would surround the Goomba Village.

Toadsworth was running now, and saw Todd in the castle main hall. "Todd go and lead regiment six to their area, I need you to lead the attack," Toadsworth said.
"Yes sir," Todd said as he went out to the area where he would begin his new role.

The whole entire Toadstool army was armed, and ready, and the race began.

The Goombas capable of fighting made a scramble for the Shy Guy Mountain area, while women, and those incapable of fighting made a scramble for the castle grounds to set up a distraction. They arrived as a regiment led by Todd crossed the bridge out of the castle. The Goombas bowed their heads as a sign of surrender.

"All right it looks like we have a lot of prisoners to take," Todd said. "Lets bring them in."

Toadsworth came out to evaluate the situation. "Darn it," he said as he approached Todd. "You know this was a distraction," Toadsworth stated.

"I didn't have much of a choice," Todd said. "It was either this or risk losing getting these guys, and possibly not getting the ones we were looking for anyway, and these Goombas getting away as well."

"I know," Toadsworth sighed. "Well we are in for a big war."

"Bigger than you know," Valerie said as a Toadstool began to take her away. "This is for you general," she said handing Toadsworth the Declaration of war signed by Bowser the Koopa King, and Josh.

Todd, and Toadsworth looked at each other, and knew that the world wouldn't be the same for a long, long time.