Chapter 3
Meet the Stalker: Jr. Troopa
Andrew woke up face down on some grass. Andrew got up and looked around. Shrubs of different colors and trees of all sizes surrounded a grassy patch where Andrew had fallen. Andrew looked ahead. Ed was snoring away. Andrew sighed. Ed was denser than marble and solid as titanium. Andrew shook Ed.
"Ed. Ed, wake up." Ed kept snoring. Andrew got a tiny horn that read: 'squeeze me gently' (#Cough#, 'The Mask' reference #Cough#.) Andrew squeezed the horn and a sound louder than any loud sound you've ever heard times ten came out of the horn.
"BAA-YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-GA!" The horn screamed. Ed's eyes shot opened. He scrambled up only to fall on the ground. Ed got up with a smile on his face.
"Private Do-Not-Enter is ready for duty chief!" Ed saluted Andrew.
"Ed, are you aware that we PULLMETED FROM AT LEAST 50 FT IN THE AIR?" Andrew screamed.
"What?" Ed asked.
Andrew sighed. Ed was such an idiot. Andrew moved to the north. "Come on, Ed. Let's see if we can find out where we are." Andrew and Ed began traveling through the woods. Eventually, they found their way to another grassy patch. Lying unconscious in the middle of it was a man in his mid-40's. He had brown hair and a bushy mustache. He was wearing a red cap with a red 'M' on it, a red shirt, blue overalls with yellow buttons, white gloves, white socks and brown boots.
'That looks like the guy I saw falling from the sky.' Andrew thought. The area around the man suddenly got dark.
"Hide!" Andrew whispered. Andrew and Ed ducked in the bushes. They could still see the man through the bushes. The man became surrounded with the images of…
"Look, Ed." Andrew whispered. "It's the Star Spirits from the story."
"Napkin, please." Ed whispered stupidly.
Two of the stars came near the man. One was a yellow star with a pink bow. The other was a green (or is it yellow?) star with a black mustache.
"Oh, thank heavens!" The pink bowed star said, relieved. "He's been gravely injured, but I think he'll recover."
"But Bowser has the Star Rod!" The mustached star retorted. "Now he's mightier than Mario! It's hopeless! All is lost!"
The stars joined the rest of them. "Everybody just calm down." The gray mustached star said. "As long as we keep it together, there's always hope. Now… Our fates are in Mario's hands. We must try to revive him. Gather round, everyone. Send Mario your power!" Mario began glowing brightly as the stars gave him their power.
"Phew… that's it. That's all we can do right now. Mario… please get up… please…" The stars vanished. The area became bright again. Andrew and Ed, knowing danger was gone, walked toward Mario.
"So this is the Mario guy that creep in the blue tunic mentioned." Andrew said.
"Who were those guys anyway?" Ed asked.
"Hello? Is anyone there?" A voice called out. A young brown mushroom girl with a yellow bow came in. Andrew and the girl came eye to eye with each other.
"Who are you?" Andrew asked.
"I'm Goombaria. Who are you?"
"I'm Andrew and this is my pal, Ed."
"Hullo, tiny mushroom creature."
"It really sounded like someone fell somewhere around here… have you guys seen what fell here?"
"Him." They pointed to Mario. The girl mushroom went to Mario's side.
"This red shirt, this hat, and this mustache… You know, this really looks like the one and only Mario!"
"That is Mario!" Andrew and Ed said simultaneously.
"It couldn't be… could it? The real Mario?" The mushroom bumped him furiously. "Hey! Hey! Wake up! C'mon! Up and at 'em!" Goombaria jumped around worried. "Oh no! He won't wake up!" Goombaria turned to Andrew and Ed. "Please! Help me get them to my parents!"
Andrew snapped his fingers. Ed ran and picked up Mario. Goombaria led the way as Andrew and Ed followed her.
Back in Goomba Village, a married couple of Goomba's were happily relaxing on the front porch of their house.
"Dad! Goom-pa! Goom-ba-rio!" Goombaria's voice called out. She, Andrew and Ed came in with Ed still holding Mario.
"Goombaria!" the mustached Goomba says. "Who is that man? And who are these two?"
"Dad, this guy on Ed's shoulders is Mario! You know the hero?"
"Oh, that Mario."
"And these are Andrew and Ed. They helped me carry Mario back here."
"Well, pleasure to meet you, Andrew and Ed. I'm Goompapa. This is my wife, Goomama."
"Thank you two so much for helping our little Goombaria."
"Mama, stop it. You're embarrassing me!"
"Now, then. Let's get Mario into the Toad House." Goompapa led the way into the house next to his. Inside was a single bed and a window next to it.
"Easy." He told Ed. "Set him down gently." Ed plopped Mario onto the bed. Goompapa looked at Andrew confused.
"Please forgive Ed. He has the brain of a… well, let's face it, I don't think he has any brain at all."
Goompapa laughed. "Nice joke!"
"No. I'm serious."
Andrew, Ed and Goompapa walked out of the room to let Mario have his rest.
Andrew was having a nice conversation with an elderly Goomba named Goompa.
"See, where I come from, we have flying vehicles that can take us into the sky!"
"Really? Isn't that somethin'?"
Mario came out of the Toad House. Goompa went to fix the veranda of the house.
"Hi, Mario." Andrew said to Mario.
"Do I know you?" He asked.
"You should. I and Ed saved you after the Star Spirits healed you." Andrew explained.
Mario stepped back, shocked. "How do you know about the Star Spirits? You're a human."
"I read it in the storybook that sucked me and Ed into this world."
"So… a book took you into this world?" Mario asked.
"Yeah. We landed in front of a castle… I think. Inside we met some other characters. Ben, Finn and Jake and Rex all came from different places."
"I remember meeting them. They seemed strange enough."
Ed came running towards Andrew and Mario. "Mario! Goompapa wants to see you."
Andrew, Ed and Mario began walking over to the gate. "So… where will you go now?" Andrew asked.
"I have to go to Shooting Star Summit. That's where Eldstar told me to go."
"Eldstar?" Ed asked. "Is that one of the magic star thingies?" Before Mario could answer, Ed ran off.
"Where did you meet this guy?" Mario whispered.
"It's a long story."
(Andrew's POV)
You see, I used to live in the state of Pennsylvania, the Keystone state. I had a happy home with great parents and good friends. Everything was perfect. Although, as they say, nothing perfect lasts forever. My parents died in a bizarre fire. No one knows who did it or why. All that was left were the family photos and records kept in a fire-proof box. I had to move all the way to Arizona to live with my grandparents in Peach Creek. I was so sad that my parents died. But, Ed came and wiped my tears away. He then introduced me to his friends, Double D, the braniac, and Eddy, the greedy one. We became friends instantly. Ever since I helped them with their scams. Whether it with heavy lifting with Ed or number crunching with Double D, we all put in our effort.
(Back to Third Person POV)
"Me and Ed were best friends ever since."
Someone sniffled behind Andrew's back. Andrew turned around. Behind him was a blurry eyed Goomba with a blue cap.
"T-that was (sniff) beautiful. You've been through so much. Your words have moved my heart."
"Uh… thanks."
The calm was shattered as a foul cackling filled the air. "Heeee! Yee hee hee!" The witch from the book descended from the sky.
"Look, Mario! It's that old witch from the story I told you about!" Andrew exclaimed.
"'Old?'" The witch exclaimed. "How dare you! I am a beautiful Koopa with a beautiful name: Kammy Koopa!"
"Andrew, what's that weird flying thing?" Ed asked.
"Hmmmph! I wish I had time to teach you a lesson, brat! But no. Mario, hear this! It is useless for you to try to save Princess Peach! Ridiculous! Laughable! AS you can see, King Bowser is more than even you can deal with this time. Here's a gift from him!" Kammy Koopa used her wand and conjured a big yellow blog with beady black eyes. It landed on the gate, smashing it to pieces and blocking the path.
"Nyeh heh heh heh! Mario! You will kneel and weep when you see the wonderful changes King Bower's made! Your world is ours now!" Kammy Koopa cackled off.
Goompapa looked at the gate with great displeasure. "Oh… and I just fixed that gate… nobody say 'gate' to me…"
"What gate?" Ed asked.
"Kammy Koopa, that fiend! Did you hear what she said about the princess? It didn't sound good. I hope nothing's happened to her…"
Mario explained the situation for everyone to hear. "Wha… wha… WHAT? Bowser went and kidnapped Princess Peach? Again? And with four other girls this time? Oh, unbelievable! Now you have to go to Shooting Star Summit and help save her, right? Ummm… this could be a problem."
"Dad, we just gotta do something, right?" Goombaria asked. "Mario and Andrew and Ed gotta do it! Nobody else can!"
"Us?" Andrew and Ed asked at the same time.
"Ummmmmmm…" Goompapa then got an idea. "Oh, here's an idea! Maybe we can break this block with Goompa's big hammers! I think he's using them now to fix the veranda. Go ask him for them, will you?"
"Take Andrew and Ed too. They helped save you after all. Pleeeease?" Goombaria made a pleading face.
"Well… okay, okay they can come."
"Oh, yeah! Hey, Ed. You know what time it is?"
Andrew and Ed jumped into the air, striking a pose as Ed said, "It's Edventure Time!"
Andrew and Ed have joined Mario's Party!
Andrew:
HP: 10
FP: 15
Attacks:
Jump
Punch
Ed:
HP: 15
FP: 10
Attacks:
Belly Flop
Rocket Attack
"Well, let's go!" Mario said, at the door of the house. Andrew and Ed followed after him. Mario, Andrew and Ed stepped out onto the veranda. The first thing they noticed that… there was no veranda!
"Oh, crud." Andrew groaned.
All three of them fell down.
Andrew awoke a few minutes later.
"I am so tired of passing out all the time. Is this gonna be a regular theme?"
Ed woke up. Mario was the next to wake up.
"Where are we?" Ed asked.
"You're at the bottom of the cliff." Andrew, Ed and Mario turned to see Goompa standing in front of a small yellow block.
"Goompa!" Andrew said. "What happened to the veranda?"
"See, I was working on the veranda when the whole thing collapsed under my feet. I tried to get back but this block came out of nowhere."
"It must've been Kammy Koopa! That fiend!" Ed exclaimed.
"Goompa, I think we can break this block. We just need your two hammers!"
"Well, they can't be too far away. Let's go this way." Goompa led the way to their right leading them into a tree and bush filled area.
"The hammers have to be close by. They look like they're made of wood." Ed was busy smacking a tree with his head repeatedly.
"I'm a dirtpecker!" Ed smacked the tree three more times. "Except with wood." A doll bounced off Ed's head. "Ahh! The sky is falling! Again!"
Andrew picked up the doll. "Chillax, Ed. It's just a doll."
Goompa came over. "Why, I do believe that's Goombaria's dolly. She'd be mighty happy to get that back."
Andrew stuffed the doll into his pocket. "Let's find those hammers."
Mario walked over to the three of them. "Do you-a mean… these?" Mario held out two wooden hammers.
"Those are my hammers!" Goompa exclaimed.
Mario gave Ed one and kept one for him.
Mario and Ed learned the 'Hammer' technique!
"What?" Andrew asked, annoyed. "I'm too good for a hammer?"
"Don't-a worry. I'm-a sure you'll get a weapon real soon." Goompa led the way out. Suddenly, he got flung back, sailing past Andrew's head into a nearby tree, becoming unconscious. Andrew, Ed and Mario looked at the path ahead. Blocking their way was a small yellow creature in an egg shell.
"Cool! A walking egg! I'm starving!" Ed exclaimed.
The creature growled. "I am not a walking egg! I am Jr. Troopa and this is my playground you three are trespassing on!"
"Whoa. Back up. We didn't even know you were here. Besides…" Andrew walked up to the creature. "… It would be too easy to take on a shrimp like you."
Jr. Troopa growled. "That is it! You are going on my personal hit list… Um… what's your name?"
"What'cha see is what'cha get! Just a guy who got lucky to face his first rival! I'm Andrew."
"Okay, then! Prepare for your end, Andrew!" Jr. Troopa charged at him.
"I don't think so!" Andrew replied as he jumped dodging Jr. Troopa's attack.
Andrew then jumped on Jr. Troopa's head, causing him to wince back in pain.
"Okay, that had some pain to it… but now the gloves are coming off." Jr. Troopa then ran up to Andrew and jumped on his head and started wailing on him.
"AHHHHH! GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF!"
Andrew started running super fast in circles, screaming, "GET IT OFF, GET IT OFF, GET IT OFF, GET IT OFF, GET IT OFF, GET IT OFF, GET IT OFF!"
"I'll save you, Andrew!" Ed then used his jacket to lasso on to Andrew. However, Ed just got into the circle. Ed screamed over and over until he got thrown off, landing in a tree top.
"Don't-a worry. I got it!" Mario threw his hammer in with great accuracy… only to knock Andrew unconscious.
"Yes! I win!" Jr. Troopa exclaimed.
"Oh no!" Ed exclaimed. The remaining combatants looked at Ed and then got a 'WTH' look.
Ed was sinking a model rocket into his belly. "The ship is being devoured by a mutant fat belly! Quick, run away!" Ed released the rocket. It ricocheted off a tree branch and headed straight for Jr. Troopa.
"What? You think I'm scared by-"But Jr. Troopa didn't finish as the rocket exploded on him with the force of a nitro bomb! Jr. Troopa screamed in defeat as he sailed into the sunset.
"Nice-a work, Ed!" Mario complemented.
"It was nothing." Ed blushed.
Andrew then woke up. "Did I win?" A big lump formed on Andrew's head.
"Yeah. You got him good."
With that, Andrew, Mario and Ed, who was carrying the unconscious Goompa, set off towards Goomba Village.