Chapter 3

Fights and Frustrations

Bowser cannonballed his machine through the roof of the brothers' house. With a crash, the house was in shambles. The copter bottom having cut up the rafters into splinters. The brothers only barely got out of it in time. Mario landed hard on his elbow, letting out a slight yelp. Luigi tumbled through a window, shattering the glass.

"That was a bold strike, Bowser!" Mario shouted, rubbing his funny bone. He looked back toward Luigi, who adjusted his cap and overalls, which each had some loose threads and holes from getting cut with the glass. Otherwise, though, his brother was thankfully unscathed.

"Bwa ha ha ha ha!" Bowser laughed and roared. "This is where it ends, Mario brothers!"

"We'll see about that!" Mario used the splintered wood to climb up above the copter. He sprung at Bowser, landing at the edge of his clown bowl and punching him in the snout.

"OW!" Bowser roared again and slashed at Mario. Mario easily dodged, but fell from his perch, landing hard in the broken wood.

"M-Mario!" Luigi cried.

"Next!" Bowser looked at Luigi.

Luigi's heart sank. But he needed to get to his brother to make sure he was still breathing. He tightened his fists and started running. Bowser blew fire at him, which caught onto the wood around him. He ran in zigzags and doubled back a few times, but he eventually got to his brother. "Mario! Mario, are you okay?"

Mario's face was stuck in a wince, but he opened his eyes. Then, his eyes opened wider. "Luigi!" he croaked.

A rain of fire flooded down on them, making the splintered wood a pyre. Luigi cried out but wrenched his brother from the wood, jumped out, and rolled with him across the ground. The fire on them was put out, but their clothes were singed and their skin was burnt. The side of Mario's mustache was charcoal-black, and Luigi's cap was destroyed.

Bowser jumped out of his machine, landing hard in the pyre, the force sending out wooden fireballs in every direction. Mario held up his hands to protect himself and his brother behind him.

Bowser growled and advanced. Luigi trembled behind Mario, Mario could feel it. He stepped back to him and put a hand against him in protection.

As Bowser walked slowly toward them, he was pleased at the result. Bowser hadn't seen this look on them toward him since they were children. Well, actually, Luigi had the look a lot, but Mario… he actually looked a little unsure and—dare he say?—scared. The singed mustaches, the ruined home… this is what he needed. He needed destruction. This was fun. Destroying anything he touched… striking fear in the hearts of his enemy… Yes… Yes indeed he was back. He was himself again. He…

He stopped. All he had been doing was walking slowly toward them. Luigi still trembled behind his brother, but Mario… Mario had that look on his face again… that curious look…

All Bowser had to do was spit another stream of fire. He could've done that five minutes ago and finished off the brothers. He couldn't figure out why he didn't. It should have been natural… it should've been instinct. What the Underwhere is wrong with me? Because even now… when he actively thought of breathing that last flame… he couldn't.

Frustrated, he roared into the air. He spit fire upward, the embers landing around the three combatants, setting the grass itself on fire. Smoke was rising up above the remains of Mario's house. Fire had been set to the whole area. He gave a laugh to save face, then turned and jumped into his clown car. He left the brothers standing amongst the flames and flew off toward the city.

.

The city was overrun with koopas of all types and even an army of goombas. Paratroopas were dive-bombing into windows, frightening the people within. Lakitu-koopas were acting like UFOs, grabbing residents from the streets and carrying them off in their clouds. It was a full-on attack, and so far, the castle made no effort to stop it. There was no movement from the Mario brothers' house either.

Toad and Toadette were huddled under a bench, trying to keep out of sight. Toad looked toward the direction of Mario's home and gasped, poking his sister to look too. There was thick, black smoke rising from the area. They looked at each other. What happened?

Toadette looked up around the city. Bowser's minions were everywhere! There was no way they'd be able to run to Mario's place without being noticed. Toad whispered, "Maybe we can split up… at least one of us can get the bros. We'll both go towards the house, but from different angles."

Toadette nodded.

"Ready?"

She nodded again, but her face said: Not in the least.

Toad gave an attempt at a reassuring smile. "One… two… three… GO!"

The mushroom children ran out from their safety and headed in opposite directions. They were not used to running. Neither of them were very fast either. That's what made it so easy for one lakitu to grab both kids in a matter of seconds.

"Well… that didn't work…" Toad frowned.

Toadette wriggled and kicked, but there was no breaking free. She looked over toward the brothers' house, praying to the stars that they were okay. Toad followed her gaze and rested a hand on her shoulder. "They're the Mario Brothers… They're probably fine."

Then, they saw Bowser flying from that direction, toward them. Their eyes widened. Neither wanted to speak aloud what they were thinking, but Toad's assurances were beginning to fall flat.

.

Daisy kept throwing whatever she could get her hands on at Kammy Koopa. But it was to no avail. The koopa witch had put up a shield of sorts, and everything, from knickknacks to chairs, bounced right off it and landed on the floor beside her. Daisy growled and stomped while Peach looked on worriedly.

"Mario will be here any minute to save us," she told the hag.

"Oh I wouldn't be so sure about that," Bowser's voice rolled through the window. Kammy let him in. "Good day, Princess. How are you?"

"Miserable," Daisy picked up something to throw at the large Koopa.

"I wasn't asking you," Bowser's eyes never left Peach.

"Bowser… stop this…" Peach pleaded. "Aren't you tired of losing?"

"Oh, but I didn't."

"You will, as soon as Mario gets here."

Bowser smiled. Peach didn't like it.

"What?"

"Mario won't be making it anywhere in his state."

Peach gasped. "No… it can't be…"

Daisy threw the chair at Bowser, but he swatted it down. "What are you talking about, Bowser?" she asked.

"The Mario Brothers are… how should I put it… oh, I know… defeated."

Daisy froze, the next knickknack she was about to throw held straight above her head. "W-What do you mean… 'defeated'?"

Bowser finally turned to her, the glint in his eye was the worst thing she had ever seen. Her knees fell from under her, and she collapsed on the floor, all the energy draining from her.

"No…" Peach shook her head. "That's impossible…"

"Congratulations, Master Bowser! I knew you could do it!" Kammy laughed. "Your father would be proud."

Peach kept shaking her head. Daisy stared at the ground.

"Shall I make arrangements for the wedding?"

.

"Our house!" Luigi wailed.

"Be thankful it's not us…" Mario waved his hat at the last bit of flame around them and stomped it out under his shoe. Why isn't it us? I mean… I'm as glad as anyone not to be dead… but Bowser… he could've finished us off right then and there…

Luigi, meanwhile, was filling up a bowl with water and splashing it toward any open flame in the house. Mario went to do the same, and soon the fire was out.

"I have a feeling we'll be needed at the castle…"

"D-D-D-Do we have to?" Luigi shivered.

"You can stay behind and see what's left unsinged."

"I-I-I-I think I will."

Mario smiled and patted his brother on the head. "See if you have a spare cap in good shape."

Luigi looked sadly at his cap. It looked more like a headband now.

Mario headed off toward the Mushroom Kingdom. He stopped at the border of the city. "Woah."

The mushroom people were in a panic. Most of them were in the air, flailing madly against the koopas that held them aloft. The citizens that were still on the ground were running back and forth with their arms in the air, screaming.

Mario had never seen such disarray.

Then, from above him, he heard: "Master Mario!"

He looked up and saw two familiar mushrooms looking down at him, relief on their faces. The lakitu carrying them held up a spiny ball.

"Release those kids!" he shouted at him.

"Yeah, right, mustache!" the koopa yelled down. He chucked the spiny ball at Mario, who dodged effortlessly.

"Alright… you asked for it." He jumped up on some rocks and trees and made it up to the lakitu's level. Lakitu stared at him in fear, and Mario came down on him, kicking him right out of his cloud. He tumbled to the ground, lying flat after rolling a bit.

"Master Mario!" Toadette hugged him.

"What's going on?"

"We thought you were dead!" Toad wiped a small tear from his eye.

"Aw, you two worriers! It was Bowser fighting me, come on. Bowser never wins." Mario tried to play it off as no worries, but if Bowser hadn't held back…

"Bowser's at the castle!" Toad said. "He's after the princess again!"

"No surprise there." Mario steered the cloud toward the castle, then stopped. "Actually… let's make a pit stop…" If he was going up against Bowser again, he needed to be prepared this time.