"So what are you doing?"

"I'm going to attempt to move this large boulder."

"Is that why you dragged me through three warp pipes? So you could find a large boulder and 'attempt to move it'?"

"…Be quiet. I'm concentrating." Mimi outstretched her hands and began grabbing at the air.

"Ok, so now what are you doing?"

"Activating them."

"Uh-huuuh. And did you do it, are they on?" A.J. dripped with sarcasm as he moved to plop himself down on the ground in preparation for some entertainment.

"I don't know! It's not like they came with an instruction manual." Mimi began flailing her hands around expecting some sort of reaction, but felt nothing.

The spectacle she was putting on was enough to earn a chuckle out of the male koopa seated a few feet away.

"Huh…y'know…he said something about me not being able to feel anything." A.J. ceased his chortles and frowned slightly.

"What?"

"The Professor! 'Fore you DRAGGED me away, he said something about me not feeling any change. Remember, doofus?" A.J. scowled at the insult, but said nothing. "He said that they wouldn't work unless I put my own effort into it. I hafta try to lift this thing myself, I think, and then they'll work."

"Sure, whatever floats your Cheep-cheep."A.J. rolled his eyes, knowing full well that after three weak tries she'd give up in frustration. What harm was there in letting her prove herself wrong?

"Oh my Cheep-cheep will most certainly float. Be amazed at my powerful-"

"Stupidity? Right. Well when you're done frolicking in la-la kooky land, you just let me know."

Mimi glared at him and shoved her hat firmly onto her head, pushing down her bangs into her eyes. She then outstretched her hands and shoved them against the rock. Sucking in a quick breath she bared down and pushed against it. Nothing.

"Whoa-ho. Easy there champ. Don't wanna strain anything now, do we?"

"Pipe down!" Mimi hoarsely yelled over her shoulder as she continued pushing at the massive rock. "Nnnggh….can't…hyyyyuuu…move…." She gasped, sliding down the rock and falling face first into the dirt. "Puh. I got nothin'."

A.J. chuckled, enjoying the entertainment from a few feet away. Satisfied at her defeat he got up, dusting his shirt off. "So are we ready to admit A.J. was right and get on with our lives?"

"Pahh, I still say you're wrong. Professor was sure they worked. I bet I'm just not doing it right…" She took off her hat and fanned herself with it, sitting against the boulder.

"Yea, yea. C'mon already, it's hot out, I'm melting out here." A.J. scowled bitterly, turning on his heel and choosing to make the decision for both of them.

"Hey, wait up!" Mimi called, situating her hat on her head and scrambling up after him. Matching his pace she began to look at her gloves again. "Y'know maybe…they are just regular ol' gloves."

"Right, they ARE just regular old gloves. Professor's a whacko, you know that. He probably just got confused." A.J. muttered, eager to get back to civilization.

Mimi nodded at him but wasn't so certain on the matter. While Professor was rather scattered at times, a liar he was not. She decided not to push the issue with the irked koopa though and simply tagged along behind him.

XxXxXxXxXxXx

The two had warped back to the Mushroom Kingdom, after much insistence from A.J. who wanted nothing more to do with Mimi's ideas to "try and make the gloves do something."

"Look, for the last time, they don't work! They're useless clothes!" A.J. whirled around and yelled into her face.

"…Yea but…I think I can make 'em work this time…"She squeaked out, bending back a ways to avoid the bursting of her personal bubble.

"….Yea, no, that's what you've been saying all the way here. C'mon, drop it, you saw for yourself, they're flukes!" Her shoulders slumped and she sighed. "FIIIIIIIINNNNE. Although this prolly isn't even about the clothes, you just want me to admit you're RIGHT about something." She crossed her arms, sticking her tongue out childishly. "And you're NOT." He growled, grabbing her by the sleeve and forcing her into Toad Town.

"You don't even KNOW how dumb you sound, going on about magical clothes, people are gonna think you're cra-" In the midst of their bickering, the pair had been oblivious to the fact that Toad Town wasn't it's cheery usual self, but replaced by a partially destroyed likeness, and large screens were propped up everywhere amidst the rubble. "……Zy." A.J. finished, staring in awe at the demolished village.

"Wha…what happened?" Mimi finally stammered out, surveying the damage. Toads were scattered everywhere, crying and whimpering with fear. On the screens throughout the village, sights of other towns being destroyed were shown. Mimi shoved through a crowd of Toads and watched.

"The….what is this….? What's going on?"

"B-Bowser came through." A small Toad replied, her voice shaky. "He's destroyed the town, and then took refuge in the princess's castle. He said that he was going to succeed this time."

"Bowser? THE Bowser? What happened?" A.J. demanded.

"He stormed through with his airships and destroyed everything, and then yelled down to us that the Mushroom Kingdom belonged to him and his kids. All of these…." She gestured to the screens, trembling. "They're towns that are slowly being taken over by his forces. Kingdoms that do not belong to him are being devoured by his armies."

"But if he's at Princess Peach's castle, how can he be everywhere at once to make sure he succeeds in each capturing of the kingdoms?" A.J. asked, looking at the birm as if Bowser himself would appear at any moment.

The Toad girl shook her head, blonde locks swaying around her flustered face.

"His seven older children shall take each kingdom by storm."

Mimi spun around, receiving whip lash in the process. It took her by surprise.

"SEVEN?! But I thought that brat Junior was his only kid!" A.J. watched her crossly.

"Keep your voice down, this isn't a game." He murmured. "Although I wasn't aware he had other spawns of evil running around either…"

"So…wait, they're each gonna take over a kingdom!? That's crazy. Wait, where's Mario, isn't he supposed to y'know…stop them?" Mimi faltered, seeing the doubt flash in the girl's eyes.

"Mister Mario, he's always helped us, but how can he be everywhere at once? It's so much more violent this time. They're so powerful. They must've been planning this….for months….years even." She looked down at the rubble. "He's just one man. How can he do it alone? Even with his brother…they'll be in for a world of hurt."

Mimi chewed on her lip, glancing at A.J. who had fallen silent. He sensed her gaze and peeked over at her. Seeing the look on her face he frowned, knowing full well what was going around in her head.

"Don't even. This isn't fun and games. If Bowser's really serious about conquering, Mario's gonna be in a lot of trouble with the addition of all those kids to handle. You'd just make things worse."

She ground her teeth, staring at him. "You know this can't be a coincidence. Professor hands me this stuff the very DAY that Bowser plans to invade the Mushroom Kingdom. You heard her, Mario can't do it alone!"

"Are you INSANE?!" He grabbed her by the shoulders. "Look, he can handle himself. You're just a kid, WE'RE just kids! You can't expect to be able to do anything about this! Just let him do what he needs to do-"

"Mario doesn't have TIME to go through each kingdom, he has to get to the princess and make sure she's safe! We just have to help him!" She forced herself out of his vice grip and took off running.

"The hell are you going?!" He shouted after her.

"Grass Lands is the nearest kingdom, come on!!"

XxXxXxXXxXx

"ARE YOU OUTTA YOUR MIND?!" A.J. ran after her, wheezing. "STOP! Stop it, you can't just storm in and do something about it! They'll kill you!"

"Ok, ok, I admit I lost my head for like, a minute. But just hear me out! Just say that somehow we can get in and….I don't know, CONVINCE his kid not to take over it."

"….You want to discuss the invasion of the kingdom with his demonic kids over some tea and crumpets?! Like THAT'S gonna work!"

"I didn't say over tea and crumpets." Mimi replied nastily, propping a hand on her hip. "I mean like, what if we can somehow convince them it's a bad idea. Or better yet, pit 'em against each other. Or maybe just make it up as we go along! We've got to stall for time, Mario's depending on us!"

"He's never even MET us before." A.J. was beyond cynical, wanting nothing to do with it.

"That doesn't MATTER. What matters is that he doesn't have anything extra on his plate to deal with. Mario needs to get to the princess, and fast! C'mon A.J., any difference in the world you can make means something."

"I'd rather not be skewered if it's all the same to you, Mims." He scowled at her. "You're gonna kill us over some stupid fantasy you have playing over and over again in your demented little head. You'd just JUMP at the chance to be like your hero, wouldn't you?"

She grimaced as if the words turned to lead and hit her in the gut, and turned away from him. "Do whatever you want then. I'm not gonna stand by while everything crumbles around us."