Sorry about the wait on this chapter and the hiatus. Summer's coming, though, and that means I'll be able to be more productive with these last 22 chapters. I know I said 15-20, but when I outlined it, I gauged 22. And they'll be packed.
Chapter 33
"The dungeon kinda reminds you of our home," said Koji as the Toad led the group downstairs to the Mushroom Kingdom's dungeon.
"Please, Koji." Takuya rolled her eyes. "Our place is twice as clean as this dump."
The dungeon almost matched what one would see in the sewers: dank, stinking, roaming with rats and character remains. The walls were covered with splotches of blood, and the cells were filled with either dead, living, or both conditions of characters, with some of the living exhausted and a handful of them wrestling with the steel bars in defiance and anger.
"Cavalry came!" one prisoner, another Toad, shouted.
"Can you get us what they call the fuck outta here?" another prisoner, a Koopa, demanded.
"Caged like dogs," Snow whistled. "Someone's been busy. And too bad we don't have keys to get them out."
"This is stupid! And I'm not even part of this game!" An irritated, British-accented voice was heard a few cells down.
"I'm surprised you can't use your little Monado to get us out!" a growling voice echoed. "Oh, wait, you ain't got it on you."
"Lord Bowser!" Chet recognized the growls, starting toward their owner.
"Dad?" Iggy followed suit.
"Wait up, guys!" Snow called. "It may be a trap. Someone pretending to be two people arguing."
The group arrived at a cell near the end of the dungeon, containing Bowser and Shulk from Xenoblade bickering, along with Rosalina in the corner separate from her cell mates trying to drown it out, and Lucina covering her ears and staying as close to the bars as possible.
"You still haven't thought of a way outta here, and yet you accuse me of being weak!" Shulk spat, his face mere inches from the Koopa King's.
"Hey! The fucking key word is 'thought,' Brit Boy!" Bowser roared.
"Oh, please, I don't see either of you with a plan," Lucina cut in, uncovering her ears.
"Only arguing," added Rosalina serenely.
"Dad?" Iggy called to Bowser, gripping the bars.
"Son?" The Koopa King shoved past Shulk to reach the Koopaling.
"We brought him here," Koji said. "While you ladies were arguing over which color sucked."
"I thought I told you to run with the others, but you brought more victims. Who are these girls? And Chet, what the hell were you thinking?"
"Well, Lord Bowser..." the Hammer Bro fumbled for an excuse.
"What the hell happened here?" Snow inquired. "How'd you get locked up?"
"The same way I ended up under a damn light," answered the rescued Toad.
"We were getting things prepared for the ball," Rosalina began, "when we felt this tremor beneath the castle. A few of us went down to the basement to see what the noise was. Probably some volunteers playing in the storage room. When we went down there, we saw all these Cy-Bug eggs, along with the unpleasant creatures themselves. Then I saw a huge one that stood out with Mario's cap and wondered if his cap was stolen again. But I remembered Sergeant Calhoun's speech about Cy-Bugs and what they were capable of, and that was when we realized that the big bug was, or is, Mario." The galaxy princess took a deep breath before continuing. "Link, Zelda, and I tried to stop him, but he broke through our best attacks. Not even the Triforce could stop him. Most of my children were killed, too in saving me."
"And then he broke into the ballroom and started eating shit...and most of us," added Shulk. "My Monado was eaten, and even though my game's bricked in Outlet Central, I'm all but bloody powerless without my weapon. I'll be the laughing stock when I get back."
"That's if you get back," Takuya corrected.
"Can we think positive here?" Snow turned on her in annoyance. "These guys are going to die if we don't get them out before Mustache Number One comes."
"Is he still around?" Koji asked the four prisoners.
"I ain't lying. Yeah," Bowser responded. "And he's chowing down on a victim every few moments. We could be next. I didn't think I'd lose like this to Mario. I'm used to falling in lava. And the fact remains that I don't know where Peach is...if she's still alive."
"And we'll find her," added Snow. "First, we need to get outta here."
"My flames ain't doing anything against this metal," the Koopa King said. "So how do you think you'll do any better?"
"I've tried, too," Lucina put in. "My sword is no match, either."
A sudden roar echoed throughout the cell block, startling the group and the prisoners. The entire hall grew silent.
"What the hell?" Snow wondered, glancing around with the others.
"Mario!" the Toad trembled. "He's coming!"
"He lives at the end of the cell block, waiting a few moments for his next meal," Shulk explained, then regarded his cell mates. "Hide, guys!"
The group hid in the back area of its cell, but Snow and company remained put.
"We are not scared of some insect," Koji said, not making a move to hide.
A pair of red eyes glowed at the end of the hallway, glaring at the group. The blue-haired siren took a step back when she sensed the possible hunger emanating from them. She moved behind Snow and the others.
"No way." Snow pushed her forward. "You said you weren't scared of insects."
"That was until I saw how serious this really is," said Koji, gripping Takuya's shoulders.
"Dammit, get off!" The redhead shoved her away. "Seriously, how tough can a Mario-turned Cy-Bug be?"
The ginger twin received her answer when the mustached plumber crawled out of the darkness, towering over the group and unleashing a roar that would make even Bowser flee to his castle.
"Aw, hell." Snow groaned, as Mario unleashed a stream of fire. The sherbet racer, along with the others, scrambled back.
"You guys weren't lying," Koji realized.
"And I think we're on the menu, since we're not in cells!" The free Toad and Chet started to flee, but the Nintendo Good Guy scooped them up in his claws.
"Put them down!" Iggy shouted. "You don't want them!"
But Mario already tossed them into his mouth, swallowing them whole before advancing on the Koopaling, the sirens, and Snow.
"That's so fucking disgusting." Koji shook her head.
"Mr. Mustache used to be kind, too," added Snow.
"He even shook hands with Dad after knocking him in lava a million times," Iggy put in. "And I hope he's hearing this." He hazarded a glance at the wild plumber, who didn't show any sign of standing down.
"Yeah, you even helped us out in our game one time," Snow pleaded. "You know, after Turbo Ass-Tastic fucked it up?" She regarded the Koopaling. "If we can get through to Mustache Number One, maybe he'll remember."
However, Mario swung at the four, knocking them backward. He released another roar.
"Oh, sure" Takuya started her sarcastic tirade. "Reason with a monster...and then die. We need to fight him. Marty-o isn't even in his right mind anymore, and I doubt he'll ever be back in it."
"Taky's right. We need to fight," Koji agreed, preparing a wind gust.
"No!" Iggy blocked the girls. "Mario's the main character of this game! If we kill him..."
"He'll regenerate." Koji cut him off. "And may I point out that you're overstepping your boundaries a bit. You obey me, remember?"
"Yeah, but.."
"You're in our way! Move!"
"That's an order I can't follow. Besides, we don't even know if Mario will regenerate now that he's... "
Koji cut him off again with a gust that knocked him aside.
"Are you okay?" Snow hurried to him to help him up.
"We can't let them kill Mario," the Koopaling said.
"And they'll get killed themselves! We need to stop them!"
The pair hurried over to the twins, who sent a wind and energy attack at the plumber, but it had no effect.
"What the fuck?" Koji gasped as Mario responded with more flames.
"That's what we've been trying to tell you!" Iggy said.
"Yeah, next time, listen to us!" Snow snapped.
"Okay, Ms. President, what do you suggest?" Takuya asked.
"Since we can't even make a dent in him or leave prisoners behind, I was suggesting trying to reach out to him," the sherbet racer responded.
"You're insane!" Koji shouted. "You want to get us killed!"
"I'm not trying to get us killed, you guys are facing him head-on. I'd expect Wreck-It to do that. Besides, your song can make victims do anything, right?" Snow regarded Koji. "You did it to Iggy, didn't you? How can 'Stache Number One be any different?"
"One: he's about four times our size." Takuya ticked off the reasons. "And two: we've never used our powers on something this big." The redhead indicated Mario, who swiped at them again leading to more dodging.
"Maybe one siren won't work on him," Iggy said. "But both you and Lady Koji together may be strong enough to sway Mario." The Koopaling glanced from one siren to the other.
"I don't know." The ginger sighed, turning to her sister. "What do you think?"
Koji glanced at Snow, then back at Takuya. "Maybe we should give it a shot."
"I was afraid you'd say that." Takuya sighed, joining hands with Koji.
"What? Wish that Aggie and the others were here?" The blue-haired siren grinned.
"No!" Takuya blurted out. "I don't care about them!"
Chuckling, Koji stared up at Mario, who now hovered over the group. Both sirens stood their ground.
You will remember who you were, they sang in unison. Remember when you were just a plumber.
Mario roared again, scooping up the girls.
"Lady Koji!" Iggy called.
"Guys!" Snow began to go after him, but the Koopaling held her back.
"You want to get killed?"
"I can't let them end up like that Toad and Hammer Bro! This was a bad idea! I've put more in danger!"
"Maybe not," the Koopaling rebutted. "Look."
Snow looked up to see Mario lower the sirens a little, staring at them with crimson eyes.
"You...know...a-me?" he managed in a snarl.
Everyone knows you, the sirens continued to sing. You and that ugly turtle in the cell.
"Hey!" Bowser's roar was heard from his cell.
"B-Bowser..." Mario croaked, then glanced around the cell block. "What-a..was-a...I a-doing?" Suddenly, the beast within threatened to take hold again, raising Koji and Takuya to his mouth.
"No, Mario!" Iggy pleaded.
Remember, Mario, the twins continued their song. Do not let the Cy-Bug control you. Fight it. Remember.
"P-Peach-a..." Mario struggled again. "Where...is-a Peach?" A growl followed soon after.
"We don't know, 'Stache Number One," responded Snow.
Come back to your senses, Takuya and Koji chanted. Right...NOW!
The force of the last word knocked Mario backward a few inches. The scarlet in his eyes faded, revealing an azure hue. He examined the twins in confusion.
"What-a...happened to me? What was-a I a-doing?" the Nintendo Good Guy asked, putting them down.
"You don't know?" Takuya scoffed. "Really?"
"I don't-a." Confusion crossed Mario's Cy-Bug-distorted face. "It-a felt-a as-a if I was-a asleep. The last-a thing I remember was-a being in the storage-a room."
"And you got eaten, right?" Koji asked. "Rosemarie told us all about it."
"Rosalina?" Mario corrected her. "Where is-a she?"
"Right next to you." The galaxy princess stepped to the front of her cell, along with her cell mates.
"Don't worry, Mario's back to himself." Snow assured the prisoners.
Shulk and Bowser sighed in unison, with the Koopa King saying, "For a moment there, I thought I had to take over as the new hero of Super Mario Bros."
"Yeah, when Cappys fly," Shulk snorted.
"Anyway, are you okay now, Mario?" Rosalina asked.
"You're not going to eat anyone else like my father?" Lucina chimed in.
"Your father?" Mario repeated.
"Chrom," the swordswoman clarified.
"I ate-a him?" The Nintendo Good Guy gasped, then looked down at his claws an feet. "What's-a happened to me? I've-a killed people?"
"Hard to believe, but yeah," Koji answered. "And you ate a Toad and Chet the Hammer Bro. right in front of us."
"Oh, no!" The player-one plumber sank to his knees, claws over his face in regret. "I didn't eat Peach-a, did I? We had an argument before I checked the storage room, and..."
"I don't think you ate Peach, okay?" Bowser cut in. "At least, I hope you didn't, 'cause I would've torched you down if you did. She's probably in another game, but that's for later. Right now, you need to pick your ass up and help us out since you're back to normal...for the moment."
"And then figure out who would do such a thing to this game and others," added Snow.
"We can help wid dat," a voice was heard from another cell-the one next to Rosalina and the others', as three Piantas from the Delfino area stopped forward, one orange with a mustache and the others yellow. All of them were suited down like businessmen at a meeting.
"Don-a Pianta," Mario said.
"Good ding you didn't eat us, because you guys would never have known how dis game got infected," Don Pianta explained. "I saw da fool come in before I was knocked out by him and I'll take yous to do code room and show you da product dat came from da fool after I woke up."
…
"These guys are crazy." Aika punched at one of the fighters.
She, Calhoun, Dyne, and Zangief were in Street Fighter II, fighting off infected and crazy characters ambushing them, heading for the game's code room, Chun-Li finding a virus in the code room that was a possible source of the problem.
"How much farther, Zangief?" Dyne asked, fighting off another fighter recognized as Ryu.
"Eet's in zee city." Zangief pointed to a nearby city.
"Is it as bad as the docks have been?" Aika asked, kneeing a third oncoming fighter in the groin.
"You should know by now that these bodies are going to keep coming," said Calhoun. "So deal with it or turn back. You want to save your boyfriend, right?"
"Um, yeah." The female pirate blushed. "Hey! Hang on! Vyse is not my boyfriend!"
"You seem to care about him a lot, so he might be yours one day." The sergeant smirked.
The four entered the city, where a mob of fighters and some non-playable innocent bystander exited their hiding places in alleys and the rooftops, among other places.
"Not again." Aika, along with the others, prepared themselves for another round of infected fighters.
"We don't have time for this!" Dyne was piggybacked by an innocent bystander, but the former Blue Rogue leader retaliated by grabbing him by the arm and chucking him into a trio of fighters.
"No kidding." Calhoun fired away at her own four opponents, putting them out of commission.
However, as soon as they took out the first group, more swarmed in like hornets, the innocents brandishing guns, signs, knives, and other things qualifying as weapons.
"At this point, some of us need to stay and hold them off," Aika suggested. "'Cause all of us fighting is getting us nowhere."
"She's right," Dyne said. "The two of us will stay and hold them off while Sarge and Zangief get to the code room."
"But you won't regenerate in this game," Tamora reminded.
"Yez," agreed Zangief. "You two weel die and stay dead."
"Do you really think we care about that?" Aika asked, grinning at the sergeant and the Russian fighter.
Taking that as their cue, Calhoun and Zangief continued to the code room and Chun-Li.
...
"This is strange," said Sora as she completed her final test on Vanellope that included the president drinking a potion that allowed the witch to view the inside of Vanellope's body. Sora shook her head in disappointment at the lack of results. "Nothing off in your body."
Sora had run three other tests preceding this one. She had run her hands over Vanellope's body to try to see for herself, and compared Vanellope's code to Taffyta's and Candlehead to see if there was anything different other than the president's friends' being infected by the virus. None of them could explain why.
"Maybe Vanellope's code doesn't show those qualities," guessed Candlehead.
"You can be right," Sora agreed. "Vanellope must have a strong immune system but why isn't my magic revealing anything about her immunity."
"Maybe I'm special?" Vanellope guessed.
"You've always been special." Taffyta scoffed.
"That's too vague a reason, though." Sora shook her head. "I may have to check your source. Your code, that is."
"You want to look in Sugar Rush?" Taffyta raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, the answer can be in her code box."
"We'll escort you, then." Taffyta rose from her seat.
"You guys should stay here," Vanellope suggested.
"No way, President," Candlehead insisted. "We're standing by you until the end. We're your sisters."
"But you two are infected..."
"So? We're not leaving you alone with the old bat." Taffyta earned a glare from Sora. "Um, drop-dead beauty."
"What? You don't trust me now?" The witch put her hands on her hips in irritation."
"Hey, we barely know you, so we're coming. No buts, ifs, or ands about it."
…
"What took you so long, Zangief?" Chun-Li complained once Calhoun and the Russian Street Fighter reached an abandoned apartment building that housed Street Fighter II's code.
"Ve vould've been here earlier, Chun-Li, if there veren't more infected characters out there," said Zangief. "Be happy it didn't get to us yet."
The Chinese fighter rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Anyway, I wanted to show the Sarge something."
Tamora and Zangief followed Chun-Li into the building, descending into the basement, where the code room's vault loomed in the corner. Approaching it, Chun-Li punched in the code, obtaining access.
The trio dove into the void of floating code boxes, some flashing red and others dimming out.
"All of these characters are infected," pointed out Calhoun, then she saw two panels still purple but were connected to those who were.
"And we still aren't," added Zangief. "But I know ve're next. Ve're the last ones."
"Here's what I wanted you to see."
Chun-Li's voice snapped Tamora and Zangief back to attention, as they joined her in the center of the code boxes to see a black code box connecting to the other panels. It looked similar to the one Surge had described, with the Japanese symbols.
"What is it, Sarge?" Chun-Li asked.
"That's T.F.," Tamora growled. "Surge told us about this black panel. Seems her infection is spreading quickly."
…
"Can't wait until Vanellope gets back so we can take back our game." Citrusella finished cleaning the last toilet in the bathroom not far from the throne room. "King Douchebag is working us like crazy."
"I don't think I can take much more." Minty sighed, dropping to her knees midway through scrubbing one of the three sinks. "And we can't do anything while we're infected."
"I'm sure it won't be must longer, guys," said Adorabeezle for what felt like the millionth time since they'd been put to their chore.
"God dammit, if you say that one more time..." The blueberry recolor raised her toilet brush at her.
"Cit, calm down!" Minty stepped between the two.
Citrusella quickly lowered the brush and sighed. "Sorry. It's just that being stuck here and doing all this work is driving me fucking nuts."
"We both know how you feel," the green apple racer said. "Along with everyone else here. We just have to stick it out until Pres. gets back."
"And hopefully she'll have some backup with her," added Adorabeezle.
Suddenly, voices were heard from the walls.
"Who was that?" Minty asked.
"None of us," replied Adorabeezle.
"Is someone outside?" Citrusella wondered, stepping out into the hallway for a second to check for the voice's owner, but she only saw the graham cracker guard that had been giving them grief standing beside the door.
"What the hell are you doing?" it demanded.
"Checking for someone who cried for help, do you mind?" The recolor spat. "Unless it was you."
The guard scoffed. "Why would I cry for help? It was probably someone in the castle or your imagination. Either way, I know you'd best get your ass back in there and finish those toilets, slacker!"
"Please, I've just finished them." Citrusella rolled her eyes. "Minty's doing the sinks and Adorabeezle and I are scrubbing the floor, okay? You guards should stop being so damn finicky and lighten the hell up sometimes."
"You little..."
Citrusella quickly slammed the door in his face, cutting off his comeback, then regarded the others.
"Was it someone outside?" Minty asked.
"Hardly. Unless you count annoying demands as a cry for help. That being said, we need to get past our little overseer out there so we can find out who's calling."
"Help...me...someone..." The caller was louder this time, coming through the walls from the code room.
"There it is again. Someone definitely needs help," said Adorabeezle.
"And we'll give it to them," Minty vowed.
"Let's get past our doorman first," Citrusella reminded.
"I've got you covered there." The popsicle racer raised her hand. "That is, if I have enough energy, virus be damned."
"Hey, you finished with everything?" the graham cracker demanded upon Adorabeezle exiting.
"No, but you're relieved of your post...indefinitely." The popsicle racer fired a stream of ice at the guard, immobilizing him like a frozen dinner.
"Clear?" Minty stepped out, Citrusella behind her.
The popsicle racer glanced around the hallway for more oncoming guards. When none came, she nodded.
The trio snuck into the throne room, where not a soul resided.
"You would think guards would be here," said Citrusella, wielding her whip.
"Must be all on lunchbreak," Minty joked. "Some of our guards aren't the smartest, after all."
The trio entered behind the curtain behind the throne, heading down the short, metallic hallway to the vault, where Adorabeezle attempted to punch in the code but failed. She tried again and received the same result.
"Move over." Citrusella shoved her aside. "Even Donkey Kong can memorize the code better than you." The blueberry recolor entered the code correctly, opening the vault.
The trio swam into the code room, where the conversation reached its loudest as they closed in on the source.
As they neared, they noticed a girl appearing no older than twelve talking to a panel that had the name of their "boss," namely the hologram that emerged from it.
"Who's the kid?" Minty wondered. "And why is she talking to that asshole's panel like a lunatic?"
"Hey, kid!" Adorabeezle called as the three swam over to the girl.
"Um, can I help you?" The girl turned to regard them.
More racersth, the King Candy hologram said. Adorabeezle, Minty, and Citrusthella. Nicthe to sthee you again.
"Can it, virus!" Citrusella growled. "I don't know what your plan is in using a kid for your shit, but we're not letting you start it. It's enough you're working our asses half to death."
"Entirely to death, Cit," Minty corrected.
"Excuse me for trying to sugarcoat it, Zaki." The blueberry recolor rolled her eyes.
"Wait, King Candy won't hurt anyone!" The girl stepped between the king and the trio.
"You don't even know what he's done to us, kid!" Adorabeezle said. "And you're not even in this game."
"What's your name, anyway?" Minty asked.
"I'm Gretel from Fairytale Speedway," the girl replied. "And this King Candy is innocent. The one out there isn't who he says he is."
"Are you saying there are two King Candys?" Adorabeezle folded her arms in disbelief. "But there's only one panel."
"Now I'm confused." Minty shook her head. "Why is there a Candy in here and a douche bag out there working us to our game overs?"
"Because like I said before, that Candy is a faker," Gretel repeated. "And it looks like I'm going to have to explain."
"Please do." Citrusella snapped her whip. "Before my whip gets hungry."