When Mario leaped through the portal to Yellow Dimension, he felt as if he'd smacked face-first into a lake. The sea immediately surrounded him, dragging him down, and he gagged on a mouthful of saltwater. He flailed about in the water for a moment, then looked up and saw the surface far above him. Immediately he began swimming upward for all he was worth. Soon his head broke the surface, and he gasped for air. Luigi, Amethyst, and Ms. Mowz bobbed up near him momentarily.
Luigi emptied his hat of water. "Man, who would have guessed the next portal would open underwater?"
"At least we're not far from land," Ms. Mowz pointed out. "Let's get ashore and dry ourselves off, shall we?"
Mario looked toward the sandy beach about two hundred feet away. He shrugged. "We don't have much choice, do we?"
The four began swimming toward the shoreline. When, after several minutes of exertion, they made it through the pounding surf to the inviting beach before them, they gratefully dragged themselves from the water and collapsed in the sand, weary from their unexpected swim. The sun was beginning to dip beneath the horizon, casting a reddish hue over the sands.
"Ahhh," sighed Amethyst as she lay with her cheek on the warm sand.
Ms. Mowz dumped the water out of her shoes and dried her glasses off. "Such trivial things, glasses," she commented, half-frustrated, "but they certainly get to be a chore."
After resting for a few minutes, the group reluctantly left the shore and climbed a sandy ridge behind the beach. At the top of the little rise was a small village composed of round wooden huts, roofs thatched with dune grass. The village paths were all of sand, and palm trees grew in and around the area in abundance. It was a very peaceful place—but when they entered the village, it was strangely deserted.
"Huh," Mario said aloud after peering into several huts. "Looks like we have the place all to ourselves."
"What more could we ask for?" put in Luigi. "Our own private beachfront resort!"
The others laughed. "When you put it that way, Luigi," chuckled Mario, "this doesn't seem so bad!"
Within a few minutes each party member had chosen a hut for himself. Mario entered "his" abode and found a bed of rushes on the floor. He tried it and found it rather comfy. There were no other furnishings in the place. Standing to his feet, he looked out the glassless window toward the beach. There he saw Amethyst standing on the sand near the shoreline, gazing into the sunset. He watched her for a moment.
"Must be she's worried about Athos," Mario said to himself at last. "To tell the truth, I'm a little worried myself. Hope he's OK. And Peach..." A tear rolled down his cheek, and he brushed it away. Leaving the window, he lay back down on his bed of rushes and was soon fast asleep.
"Take your foul hands off me, you fiends!" shouted Athos as the two Paroidian Guards dragged him out of the dungeon cell.
Cyanara smiled at his cry. "Your impudence amuses me, Athos. Take him to Sir Grodus. He'll know what I want done with Athos." The guards complied, and Cyanara remained outside the cell, gazing
through the wall of iron bars that separated her from her captives. Her penetrating black eyes roved over her prisoners.
A moan rose over the low whisper of conversation in the cell. Toadette lay curled in a ball on the cold stone floor, trying desperately to keep warm. Her brother Toad tried to ease her discomfort, to no avail. The others weren't faring much better. Swiff T., Tace T., Russ T. and his family, Sir Poyn T. of the royal archers, and others of the castle staff all sat huddled together for warmth in the chilly cell. Hardshell sat alone in a corner, taking the cold without complaint.
"How long will you keep us in here?" Toad finally burst out, looking desperately at the Empress. "We can't take this forever!"
"I'll keep you as long as I need you," Cyanara replied evenly, "however long that may be. You'll just have to learn patience, won't you?" She laughed and swept out of the dungeons.
Mario yawned and rolled over. The sun streaming through the window of his humble wooden hut reached his eyes as he turned over, and he instinctively shielded his eyes with his hand. Squinting in the brightness, Mario groaned and sat up on the floor. He blinked a few times and rubbed his eyes to drive the sleep from them.
"Eight o'clock," he mumbled groggily as he consulted his watch. "Why do I sleep in like this when I need to get moving?"
He got to his feet and went to the window to look out over the beach. The early morning fog had burned off in the sun only minutes ago, allowing Mario to see for miles as he gazed out over the endless water. The waves lapped gently at the beach, much unlike the rough surf of yesterday. Occasionally he heard a seagull give its shrill cry. It was a picture of serenity.
Mario stepped out of his hut. Luigi, Amethyst, and Ms. Mowz were already sitting in the village center around the firepit, waiting for him. He walked up to the group and sat on the sand next to them.
"What now, bro?" asked Luigi.
Mario was silent for a moment. "You know, I really have no clue," he confessed. "There's no one here to tell us where we are, let alone where to go from here."
"Clues can be found in some strange places, Mr. Cutie," said Ms. Mowz with a wink. "Take a look around the village, why don't you?"
"Nothing else to do," Mario replied with a shrug, getting back to his feet. "Why don't we all have a look around and see if what we find?"
The four split up and began searching the village one hut after another. It wasn't long before Amethyst dashed out of one of them crying "I found it!" Immediately the others clustered around her as she unfolded what appeared to be an old map.
"It's a map of the surrounding area," Amethyst explained. "This is the beach right here." Her finger pointed to a strip of sand drawn on the parchment.
"Then this," Luigi broke in, tracing the route with his finger, "would be the way we came up to the village from the beach. That puts us right here." His finger rested on a cluster of hand-drawn huts.
"It's called Seaside Village," Mario said, squinting at the tiny lettering on the map.
"Appropriate," Ms. Mowz commented.
"Hmmm..." Amethyst frowned. "There's no path leading out of this place. There are none on the map, anyway. Wonder where everyone went?"
"Its just too weird," Mario agreed. "There aren't any bodies anywhere, so they didn't die of disease or war. It's as if they just packed up and left, but to where? And more importantly, why?"
The ground began to shake beneath their feet.
"Uh, Mario," Luigi gulped, "did you really want the answer to that question?"
Suddenly the wooden huts ripped themselves from the ground, standing upright on their foundation posts. They began stalking the group like mindless zombies.
"What the—" Mario backed away from the bizarre sight, unsure of what to do.
"YIIIIIIIIKES!!"
"Luigi, quiet!" barked Mario. "We don't have time for dramatics!"
Amethyst shrank back behind the brothers. Ms. Mowz took her hand and put on her brave face. "Back, you savage...buildings!" The mouse's eyes glinted fiercely. "Don't you touch us!"
The huts paid no attention to the demand and continued their advance.
"Well, this certainly explains why everyone left the village," Mario said with a gulp. "Uh...run?"
"Her heart rate has stabilized," said Medic Guy quietly as the now-steady beeping of the heart monitor continued in the background, "but she's still in a coma. I don't understand it." He frowned in puzzlement at the unconscious Daisy lying on the hospital bed.
"Everything's normal?" queried Shyga.
Medic Guy nodded. "Everything...except for the fact that she won't respond to anything."
"Shyga?"
The blue-suited female Shy Guy turned to see Aster peeking around the half-open door of the infirmary room.
"Yes, little Highness?"
"I want to see Daisy..." The little seven-year-old brushed a tear away.
Shyga went softly to the door and led Aster inside, seating the little princess in a velvet chair beside Daisy's bed. Aster immediately leaned over Daisy and began softly stroking her big sister's forehead.
"Daisy? ...Can you hear me? Daisy?"
Silently Shyga and Medic Guy watched as Aster caressed her sister. "Sisterly love," Shyga finally commented in a soft voice. "Aster really shows it. She was heartbroken when she lost Daisy before. I hope she won't have to go through that again." She looked meaningfully at the doctor.
Medic Guy nodded and sighed. "Pray it doesn't come to that."
Daisy stirred and moaned. "Unhhhh... Unhhhh..."
Instantly Medic Guy was on the move. "She's coming out of it," he said hastily, striding to the intercom panel. He punched the call button. "Get the nurses to Daisy's infirmary room. She's gaining consciousness!"
Shyga removed the startled Aster from the bedside while Medic Guy attempted to get Daisy to respond to him. "Princess, can you hear me?" he asked anxiously. "Princess, if you can hear me, say something. Say something!"
No sooner had he finished speaking than Daisy bolted upright with a gasp. "PEACH!!"
Immediately the doctor tried to calm her, firmly pushing her back into a prone position. "It's all right, Your Highness, it's all right. Just calm down."
Daisy's breathing was ragged and gasping. The Shy Guy nurses rushed in and succeeded in forcing Daisy to lie down again, but her breathing remained sporadic and her frightened eyes flitted wildly about the room.
"P-P-Peach!"
"Shhh," Medic Guy instructed her while ordering a dose of sedative. "Princess, everything's fine."
"Then where's Peach?" she asked, still terrified.
"She's safe in her castle, Your Highness," Shyga informed her gently.
Daisy shook her head, eyes still wild. "No, she's not! I saw her!" she gasped out. "The Great One attacked her and turned her into something awful! She's in trouble!"
One of the nurses handed Medic Guy a syringe. Daisy's face went white, and her eyes widened in terror. "NO! DON'T PUT THAT STUFF IN ME! THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED TO PEACH!!"
"Hold her down," commanded Medic Guy. The nurses teamed up on Daisy and forced her to lie still while Medic Guy gently inserted the needle into Daisy's arm and injected the sedative. Daisy screamed in terror as he did so.
"PEACH!!" She tried to sit up again, but the nurses held her down. "I have to help Peach! SHE COULD BE DYING!!"
Aster huddled against Shyga in fright.
"No, Your Highness," said Medic Guy firmly. You're staying here until we're sure you're all right."
"But..." The sedative began to take effect, and Daisy's struggles died out. Her eyelids grew heavy. "But I have...to help...Peach..."
Shyga watched Daisy fall asleep under the effect of the drug. "...What was that all about?" she finally asked, turning to the doctor.
"It sounds to me like she was slightly delusional—wasn't fully conscious and was just blurting out nonsense," he stated simply. "Hallucinations, perhaps. I really don't know."
"What's wrong with Daisy?" asked Aster timidly, still huddled against Shyga.
Shyga looked into Aster's eyes. Even though the little princess was only seven, she was already taller than Shyga and the other Shy Guys in the castle; so Shyga found herself looking up a little to look Aster in the face. "We're not sure, little Highness," she said frankly. "But I think it's breakfast time. Let's go get you some food." She gently but firmly led Aster out of the infirmary toward the dining room.
Mario, Luigi, Amethyst, and Ms. Mowz raced out of the village and hid in the trees of the forest behind it.
"What in the world was THAT?!" Mario exclaimed, panting for breath as he leaned against a tree.
"D-Demonic m-man-eating huts, t-that's what," quipped Luigi despite chattering teeth. "I-I'm not goin' back in there!"
Amethyst would have spoken, but her eye caught sight of the village again. She pointed. "Look!"
The group stared back at the village. Every hut was mysteriously back in its proper place, as if they'd never moved at all.
"That's odd," commented Ms. Mowz. "Why aren't they still chasing us?"
"I think I know," Mario answered, pointing.
Three pairs of eyes followed Mario's pointing finger past the village to the beach beyond it. On the pristine white sands stood a tall, powerfully-built figure dressed in a white robe. A scarlet cape flowed from his broad shoulders, blowing in the sea breeze. His hood was thrown back from his head, revealing a crop of thick brown hair that ruffled in the wind. And in his right hand he gripped a long white staff tipped with a red gem.
"Who is that hunk of a man?" Ms. Mowz inquired curiously.
Amethyst gasped. "It—It's Takanyar!"
"Yeah," Mario agreed, "but can you see what he's got on his finger?"
Amethyst strained her eyes at the villain's right hand until she saw the sun glint off something shiny on his fourth finger.
"He's got the third Rainbow Ring!"
"Betcha that Ring made those huts come alive like that," Luigi guessed.
"That handsome creature down there can put life into ordinary objects?" Ms. Mowz asked in surprise.
"Sure seems that way," Mario replied. "I'm not one for attacking him just yet. He must know we're here or he wouldn't be standing around waiting like that. It's as if he expects us to come at him. Takanyar's a dangerous one to attack when he's already waiting for you."
"Ho there, travelers!"
The four turned to see an elderly Koopa hobbling up to them. "I see you've found the village unlivable, eh?"
"Um...something like that," Amethyst answered uncertainly.
"It's a shame, really," the Koopa continued, unfazed by Amethyst's hesitance. "One day all those buildings just decided to get up and walk! We were all pretty much scared out of our shells, as you might imagine! So we promptly packed up and left. Our new village is on the other side of that hill over there," he offered, pointing through the trees toward a rise in the distance. "And thankfully those new huts haven't tried to eat us yet," he chuckled. "You're welcome to stay with us for the time being. It's obvious you have nowhere else to go, eh?" The aged Koopa with the graying beard turned and stumbled off into the forest, supporting himself with his cane. "Come on, I'll take you there!"
After a moment or two of uncertain glances, the group hesitantly followed their eccentric guide toward the indicated hill. They were silent for a while until they reached the hill and began to ascend its slope.
"Careful of the cave down there," the Koopa cautioned them, waving his gnarled cane at the rocky opening in the hillside. "There's been landslides above that thing lately. Just don't get too close and you'll be safe."
"I'm not so sure about this guy," Mario confided to Luigi. "He's a little too friendly for my liking..."
"Yeah," Luigi agreed nervously. "Should we keep going?"
The ground beneath their feet rumbled.
"I'll take that as a no," Luigi said with a gulp.
The earth beneath them suddenly gave way entirely, dropping the foursome into a deep pit.
"Uhhhhhhh..." groaned Amethyst as she lay on the dirt at the bottom of the pit. "Ouch..."
"I'm gonna be sore for the next week from that," Luigi moaned, rubbing his bruises.
"Heh heh heh! Look at ya!"
The elderly Koopa stuck his head over the pit's edge and leered at the group. "Aye, ya fell fer that one, didn'tcha? Heh heh!" He gripped his beard and peeled it from his chin, discarding the cane simultaneously. "Won't be needin' this disguise anymore, either!"
Mario shook his fist at their "guide."
"Good work, Kooporo," congratulated another, more familiar voice as Takanyar himself looked over the edge. "You got them."
"Takanyar!" Mario shouted, a challenge in his voice.
Takanyar laughed. "Greetings, Mario. It's so good to see you again, and in such a helpless position, too."
"Let us go, you foolish villain!" Ms. Mowz demanded, eyes flashing.
"Certainly, ma'am, certainly. As soon as Petey is through with all of you, I'll let you go." Takanyar smiled evilly. "Come, Kooporo. We obviously won't be getting any more entertainment from these four." The two left the pit, laughing as only villains can.
Mario felt a vibration in his pocket and pulled out the DTD. "Hm? You buzzed, DT?"
"Mario," droned the machine, "I am detecting a faint tremor beneath the floor of this pit. Be carefu—"
Before DT could finish saying careful, there was an explosion of rock and dirt from the center of the floor, and up from the ground burst none other than Petey Piranha, whose dramatic entry sent Mario flying into the wall of the pit. The giant walking Piranha Plant roared and showed his razor-sharp teeth as the group prepared for a rather unexpected fight.
Petey lost no time in trying to bite Mario. The red-capped plumber sidestepped the oversized Piranha Plant's gaping mouth and socked him in the jaw, making him rear back and roar in pain.
"He's nothing but a big sissy!" Ms. Mowz said indignantly. "I'll teach him a thing or two!" With that the agile little thief leaped right over Petey Piranha and smacked him in the back so hard that he crashed into the stone wall of the pit face-first. Mario and the others quickly dashed away from the immobilized Petey and clustered near Ms. Mowz.
Petey, his face still halfway embedded in the pit wall, gave a muffled roar and pried himself loose. Then he lost his balance and toppled backward, waving his leafy arms helplessly.
"Here I come, you brainless plant!" Mario yelled as he jumped into the air over Petey Piranha. Just as he passed over Petey's stomach, he stopped in mid-air and Ground Pounded onto Petey's tender midsection.
"ROAR!!" bellowed Petey Piranha as Mario dented his tummy in. With one swipe of his leafy left arm he swatted Mario off his abdomen; then, bounding to his scrawny feet, he belched up a river of slimy brown-and-white goop that coated the pit floor.
Amethyst, attempting to rush Petey, slipped in the muck and slid helplessly toward her foe. Petey scooped her up in one leaf and roared out his hot breath right into her face. She clutched at her throat, turned away from Petey, and gagged.
"YUCK! Oh, that is DISGUSTING!!" she choked out. "Try brushing your teeth once in a while, you overgrown weed!"
"ROAR?" Petey Piranha prepared to chomp his captive in two. "ROAR!"
Just before becoming Petey's breakfast, Amethyst transformed her right hand into a flamethrower and shot a jet of red-hot flames down the his throat. The giant Piranha Plant roared in pain as his throat was scorched, and he immediately dropped Amethyst to a slimy landing in the goop below. She immediately scrambled back to her companions as Petey clutched his massive head and moaned in pain.
"Is he done for?" asked Luigi hesitantly.
Petey staggered a little, shook his head violently as if to dislodge a pesky fly, and roared.
"That means no," Mario answered hastily as Petey charged the group. They dove aside, and Petey, unable to slow down because of the slick goo beneath him, slid uncontrollably into the pit wall and knocked himself onto his back again. This time it was Luigi who stomped Petey's stomach. Petey Piranha roared and jumped up, sending Luigi crashing to the slime-covered floor.
"One more time should finish him!" Mario yelled while he dashed to one side, distracting the huge Piranha Plant. Luigi took the cue and ran in the opposite direction. Petey was thoroughly confused now, unable to decide who to attack.
"Time to give this heap of vegetable matter a thorough trouncing!" Amethyst exclaimed, morphing into a conveyor belt that stretched beneath Petey's feet. Petey looked under his feet, completely bewildered.
"ROAR?"
No sooner had he roared than Amethyst's conveyor belt began to run extremely fast, sending an unwilling Petey rushing straight toward the wall of the pit. He opened his mouth wide.
"ROOOOAR!!"
He smashed into the stone wall, pried himself free, and toppled onto his back once more. Amethyst returned to normal and hopped up onto his stomach. Up went one foot.
"Bye bye, Petey!"
Amethyst brought her foot down squarely onto Petey's abdomen. The oversized Piranha Plant roared, coughed up more goop, and exploded, showering Amethyst with slime. She picked herself up off the grimy, slimy floor and shook some of the gunk from her hands. Her entire rainbow robe was covered in goop, her purple hair was saturated with it, and every inch of exposed skin on her had received more than its share of slime. She glared at her startled companions.
"Don't you dare laugh."
Mario put his hand over his mouth to keep from laughing. "Uh...nice job, Amethyst."
"Wipe that smile off your face!" she exclaimed, pointing her finger at him accusingly.
Mario forced himself to keep a straight face. "Sorry."
Amethyst changed her right hand into a spray nozzle and began cleaning herself off.
"So now that we've dispatched that hideous beast," Ms. Mowz asked, "how are we supposed to get out of here?"
Everyone looked up at the pit's edge, nearly thirty feet above their heads.
"Good point," admitted Luigi.
Amethyst chuckled. "I'm tempted not to take you with me, Mr. Smarty-Pants Mario, when I fly out of here." She eyed the plumber meaningfully.
"Fly?" Mario inquired, curious.
In answer, Amethyst transformed into a hot-air balloon. "Going up?" she asked innocently.
"All aboard!" announced Mario, and he, Luigi, and Ms. Mowz climbed into the balloon's basket. In less than a minute the group was standing on the earth's surface again.
"Time to go Takanyar hunting." Mario eyed the mouth of the cavern Koopor had warned them of. "Betcha he and his weaselly little assistant are hiding out in there."
"Yeah, and here's your proof, bro," Luigi added, bending down to examine the dirt in front of the cave. "Footprints."
Ms. Mowz got down to look at the tracks. "Hmmmm...yes...interesting..."
"What is it?" inquired Mario.
"These footprints are strange," she replied. "There are three sets of prints, not two. And all of them lead inside—none lead out." she hopped back onto her feet and cast a wary eye at the cave. "That Takanyar man and his cohort are in there with someone else."
"Well, we don't have much choice," Mario concluded with a note of finality. "We're goin' in after him. Whoever else is inside—well, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Let's go." He led the way into the cave's darkened interior. No sooner had they set foot inside than a tremendous rumbling rocked the entrance, and a cascade of boulders dropped into the mouth of the cave and sealed it shut.
"Looks like they rigged a landslide to trap us in here," Mario remarked grimly. "Nowhere to go now but forward."
"Amethyst, let's have some light," Mario requested.
Immediately Amethyst's right hand became a burning torch. "How's that?"
"Um...I was thinking a bit more...modern?"
Amethyst's hand changed into a floodlight.
"Much better," Mario replied.
The group walked cautiously forward into the cave, Amethyst sweeping her floodlight back and forth at intervals. They appeared to be in a wide tunnel of some kind with beautiful stalactite formations cascading down from the ceiling. Sharp stalagmites protruded from the floor, forcing the group to wend around them as they moved further into the cave. Amethyst's light revealed rivulets of water trickling down the limestone walls in places.
After what seemed an eternity in a never-ending tunnel, the group finally emerged from the passage into a large, high-ceilinged chamber. Amethyst's light barely illuminated the distant ceiling. Gigantic stalagmites, easily fifteen feet tall apiece, dwarfed Mario and his partners as they slowly edged into the eerily-gargantuan room. It seemed a place where a giant would feel at home. The seventh Guardian shone her light here and there, briefly revealing trickles of water everywhere—on the floor, on the walls, running down those towering stalagmites. The only sound was the group's breathing and the occasional drip of dropping water echoing hollowly in the vast cavern.
Suddenly an orange glow attracted Mario's attention. Looking at his right hand, he saw the Topaz Ring glowing brightly. "Takanyar's around," he muttered. "The Ring's sensing another Ring nearby."
Amethyst's light caught a red cape disappearing behind a stalagmite. She caught her breath.
"We know you're in here, Takanyar!" rang out Mario's challenge, shattering the awesome stillness. "You might as well quit trying to hide!" His voice echoed for an eternity.
"Ha ha ha ha!" laughed the unseen Takanyar. "When I do show my face, Mario, it will only be to bludgeon yours—if it even comes to that. I have a little trick up my sleeve that will keep you from ever resisting me. Kooporo!" he shouted. "Show them the prisoner!"
There was a whoosh nearby, and flames shot up from the torch in Kooporo's hand, revealing the wizened face of the traitorous Koopa. He grinned wilily at Mario's party and stepped to one side, allowing the torchlight to illuminate a male figure bound to one of the massive stalagmites. Amethyst gasped and started forward.
"ATHOS!!"
Athos looked up at his fiancée and groaned. "...No...Not this! Amethyst, stay back!"
Amethyst stopped a few paces ahead of Mario and the others, tears in her eyes. "Let me come to you!" she pleaded.
"No!" insisted Athos. "If Takanyar captures you and your Disc, Cyanara will need only the Twilight Disc to complete her power. Once she has all the rainbow objects she will be impossible to defeat! Do not allow yourself to be taken prisoner, even for me!"
"But Athos—" Amethyst began to cry.
"Wise advice, traitor Athos," spoke up Takanyar as he moved into the torch's pool of light. "But unfortunately for you, even the best advice does no good at times like this." He raised his right hand, and the yellow Ring on his fourth finger glowed brilliantly. Immediately the stalagmite to which Athos was bound reached out rocky fingers from its surface, curling around Athos and crushing him mercilessly. Athos cried out in pain as the jagged stone squeezed him ever more tightly.
"Athos! NO!" cried Amethyst, nearly weeping.
"Surrender yourself, Amethyst, and I will spare Athos," demanded Takanyar.
"N-No, Amethyst! Do not—do it!" cried Athos through his teeth as the stalagmite relentlessly crushed him.
Amethyst stood in indecision, face wet with tears as she beheld the torment of her beloved. Her eyes glinted with indignation. Athos saw the look on her face and gasped.
"Amethyst, NO!!"