Sorry for the looooong wait, but I had a lot of stuff on my plate this time. And that's NOT counting the angry Dragon-Koopas hunting me.

First of all, I had school. No need for further explanation there. Second of all, I was in the school musical, just like I was a year ago, and I needed to focus on getting my part, the dances, and the notes all down. Wow, has it really been that long? Anyway, third of all, as those of you who are following me as an author know, I am writing another story. The rabid plot bunnies for that fic have been attacking me like crazy. Those bunnies really slowed me down. Not good when you have Dragon-Koopas on your tail.

Disclaimer: Insert witty remark about stuff not being owned here.

Chapter 22: Hidden Wounds

"Drat! Drat it all!" Mario muttered under his breath as he made his way through Toad Town's alleyways. He had taken a wrong turn somewhere en route back to Toad Town Clinic and was now lost. He looked at the Magical Map in hand. Too bad this isn't a map of Toad Town.

Several times broken glass crunched underfoot, obviously from the mysterious Bullet Bill attacks; he had seen broken windows and door all over town. Even at his own house, beyond the outskirts. Every so often he saw and had to jump over pieces of wood and concrete surrounding a hole in a wall. Oftentimes the hole was two or even three stories up.

They must have smashed right through the walls to get out. Or in. Mario growled and shook his head. Why!? What would anybody possibly have to gain from this? He vaulted over another pile of rubble.

"Mario! Thank the Stars!"

The plumber skidded to a halt upon hearing his name. He looked around, but saw no one there.

No way I imagined it… Right? "Hello?" he called out.

"We're over here! Help!" The voice was coming from under the pile he had just leapt over.

Shoving the Magical Map in his pocket, he walked back to it.

"Right there!" the voice called, prompting him to stop. "Bend down and look into the hole!"

Mario obeyed, kneeling down to find that there was, in fact, a peephole of sorts in the debris. He looked in and found a Toad boy looking back.

"Thank the Stars," the Toad said.

"Are you okay?" Mario asked him. "What happened?" Besides Bullet Bills.

"I was playing with my little brother back here when the announcement came and told us to hide. I figured we'd be safe from whatever was happening. You know, 'cause this alley is so out of the way, nobody'd think to look. It worked for a while. But then the building above us exploded!"

Mario looked up. Sure enough, there was a gaping hole in the building on the left, directly above a dumpster.

"The stone and wood and stuff fell down and trapped us."

Mario looked back into the hole. "Are you and your brother okay?"

The Toad looked away for a moment, presumably at his brother. "Runn T.'s arm has a little scrape, and he's really shaken up. But he's okay. Right, buddy?"

A very young voice spoke up softly. "I'm okay."

"Is anyone else in there with you guys?" Mario asked.

The Toad shook his head, though Mario couldn't see it. "No, it's just us. Can you help us out?" he pleaded.

Mario nodded. I need to get back to the hospital, but I can just leave them trapped. "Don't worry. I'll get you out."

"Thank you."

Mario stood up and looked around for something he could use to move the bigger pieces of rubble. I wish I had my hammer.

"Mister Mario?" the one known as Runn T. spoke up.

"Hang on." Mario tried to sound reassuring. "I just need something to get rid of this concrete."

"There's a Super Hammer in the dumpster. I saw it," the little Toad announced proudly. "You can use that."

Mario cocked an eyebrow. "Who'd throw away a perfectly good Super Hammer?"

The little boy shrugged. "I 'unna."

Mario disregarded it, and checked the nearby dumpster. As Runn T. had said, there was a Super Hammer, in prime condition, sitting on top of the garbage.

Thanking the Stars, Mario grabbed the hammer and went to work on the concrete. Using upward swings, he knocked pieces off the top.

When there was a sizeable hole in the top, the older Toad called out, "I think that's enough. I'll lift Runn T. out so you can take him, then I'll climb out."

Mario nodded and put the hammer away.

"I don't wanna leave you, Hace T.!" the younger brother cried.

"Don't worry, little buddy. I'll be right behind you. I promise."

Mario heard Runn T. sniffle. "Cross your heart and hope for pie?"

Hace T. chuckled. "Yes. Cross my heart and hope for pie. Now get on my shoulders and reach up for Mario."

The plumber knelt down to the hole and held his hands out. Two small arms came into the sunlight, grabbing his gloves. Mario effortlessly pulled Runn T. out from the rubble.

The little Toad boy hugged him. "Thanks, Mister Mario!"

The red-clad hero didn't respond. Instead he jumped down from the pile and set Runn T. down. "Stay here while I make sure your brother gets out all right. Okay?"

The Toad gave Mario a crisp salute. "Okay!" he said cheerfully as Mario got back to the hole.

Mario looked at his handiwork and bit his lip. The concrete was cracked almost everywhere he looked. This doesn't look very sturdy. "Hace T., was it?"

"Yeah?"

"This doesn't look safe. I think I should clear some more debris before —"

"Relax, man," Hace T. interrupted brashly. "I got this." He poked his head out of the hole. "See?" He pushed himself up using the edges of the hole.

The concrete immediately crumbled, sending the adolescent Toad back into the hole. Mario gasped as Hace T. hissed in pain.

"Hace T.!" Runn T. began crying.

Hace T. called out to his brother. "I'm fine! Just grazed by a rock. It's nothing!" He quickly climbed out again, this time successfully. He slid down the side of the rubble, Mario following. Runn T. ran up to his brother and hugged him.

Mario looked at the gash on the teen's forehead. "That looks bad." He reached out to check it.

Hace T. shrugged him off. "I said it's nothi— Ow!" He yelped when Mario touched the wound.

Mario narrowed his eyes at the teen sternly. "Not quite 'nothing,' I'd say." He dug in his pocket. "Hold still. I've got something that might help a bit." He pulled out the Magical Map.

Runn T. looked at the parchment with great interest. "What's that?"

Mario smiled at him. "It's what's gonna help your brave, older brother." He focused on the map and Hace T.. Soon, he was able to feel the map's power, Sweet Treat, flow into the Toad. As soon as the power started, it stopped. "There. That should do it."

Hace T. felt where the rock grazed him. When he didn't feel pain, he looked at Mario. "Thanks, man. I mean, Mario."

Mario nodded. He turned to return to his route, then stopped and looked back sheepishly. "Do you know how to get to Toad Town Clinic from here?"

*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*

Peach reentered the waiting room.

Toad looked at her. "Princess! Where's Mario?"

Peach shook her head sadly. "He wasn't there. Roy told me he went to get something, but that's all he knows."

Toad shook his head. "That's not good. That's not good. That's not good at all. Where is he?"

Suddenly, the plumber in question came in from the cafeteria entrance and made for the stairs.

Peach seized the moment. "Mario —"

But he was already out of earshot.

"Luigi is hurt," the princess finished quietly. She looked at the ground beside her where Toadette was nursing the unconscious plumber's broken nose.

*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*

Roy had since gotten his shades back on, though the doctors tried to stop him. That stopped when he threatened to burn a hole in the wall.

Mario grinned triumphantly. "I've got it." He reached in his pocket.

Roy didn't know what he was expecting, but it certainly wasn't an old map. "How the heck is that gonna help?" he growled.

Mario's expression softened. "Just trust me on this."

The Koopaling snorted. Right. Trust Mario. He looked at his brothers and sighed. "Fine," he snarled. "But don't think this changes things between us! I'm only letting you do… Stars know whatever this is… because my brothers need it. Got it?"

Mario shook his head at the Koopa's distrust. He's sure different from when he woke up. Maybe he should just go back asleep again! The plumber started at this thought. Mamma mia. Where did that come from? He quickly shook his head to bury that feeling deep and went to work on Bowser Jr.'s wounds.

After he was done, the red-clad hero walked over to Roy, but the Koopaling growled at him. "Larry first."

One doctor cleared her throat. "That will have to wait until after the operation."

Roy glared at her. "Don't care. Do it." When he didn't see feet moving right away, he roared, "NOW!"

Sorry for the filler-type thing during the first half of this chapter. I needed to do something with the map first. Thus, Hace T. and Runn T. get their two pages of fame.

I also tried something new. A cliffhanger in the MIDDLE of a chapter. Chapter 20 doesn't count.

Please review! Unless doing so will give away my location to Bowser somehow… It won't, right?