Siph: Oh bad, oh bad, oh bad bad bad!

*notices you* Oh hi! You caught me at a bad time. You see, J's going to be back after the chapter is over, and I need to clean up the mess I made in the kitchen last A/N. Oh man, I can just hear him if he sees it... "Siph Jade [last name censored], what did you do?!"

*gathers pile of cleaning supplies twice his height* TIME'S A-WASTIN'! *dashes away*

Disclaimer: Do not attempt to mop a kitchen floor using a Bullet Bike, even if you need it cleaned really really fast.

Chapter 32: Unexpected Arrival

"Dayna, what did you find?" Kraig asked.

Ludwig looked at the new arrival inquiringly. Yellow gas?

"It destroys healing items," Dayna said bluntly.

"What?" the three said in unison, though in different tones: interest, confusion, and disbelief.

"Are you certain?" Kraig asked Dayna. "Tell me what exactly you've found."

The Dayzee held open a small bag. Kraig reached inside and pulled out a handful of dust. The others looked on curiously.

"What is this?" Kraig asked, running it through his fingers.

"It used to be the sack lunch of one of visiting college students. He gave it to me to show you."

Kraig looked from the dust to his coworker. "And this is all that's left of it?"

The Dayzee nodded. "Yes, and everyone else is experiencing the same thing."

"What about the therapy Chomps' Cooking Mistakes?"

"I haven't heard, but I'm assuming we'll find out soon."

Ludwig gaped at the two doctors. "I don't believe this." He pinched the bridge of his nose.

Pauline was the only one who heard him, as the doctors were still discussing the sudden shortage of healing items.

Ludwig continued, muttering to himself, "I am proven wrong immediately after declaring their methods inferior."

Pauline felt the urge to speak. "Well, I don't think any of us could have known."

Ludwig sighed and looked up at her. "That does not lessen the irony. Especially considering all this happened before I was even conscious."

Pauline was unsure of how to respond to that.

"And now we have to rely on these substandard practices." He looked at her. "Do you know how many times greater the chances of failure are for these archaic procedures, compared to practices elsewhere?"

Pauline figured Ludwig would tell her whether or not she asked, but she obliged anyway. "What is it?"

"Nearly infinity," the royal scoffed, looking around the facility coldly.

"You're okay now, aren't you?" Pauline offered.

The Koopa's icy stare fell back on her. The woman froze when the sapphires pierced her once again.

"That depends on your definition of okay," he said softly. Then the Koopa sighed, "But we are alive, so perhaps." His hard gaze on the businesswoman softened. "I suppose we are in your debt, since you are the one who saw our recovery."

"It's what Ma—" Pauline caught herself before she mentioned her ex's name again. I don't want him glaring at me again.

Unfortunately, Ludwig knew exactly how she intended to finish that sentence, and the Koopaling rolled his eyes. "You seem to hold your ex-boyfriend in high regard," he observed.

Pauline bit her lip. Too late to change the subject, though. "Well, we broke up on good terms, and I'm also the head of the Super Mario Toy Company, so—" the Koopa cut her off, though not in a manner she expected.

He was laughing. It wasn't a big laugh, but it was still genuine mirth. "That company?" He shook his head. "Would you believe many of our minions are avid collectors for your Minis line?"

It was Pauline's turn to roll her eyes. "Don't say collector and Minis in the same sentence," she groaned, having more than one flashback about a certain avid fan of the Minis.

The Koopa in blue smirked. There must be a story behind that. This could prove cathartic.

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

The Koopa stood near the front desk, listening to the chatter of nearby nurses.

"Are we so sure they're the same Koopas that are missing?" one asked.

"Kraig says they are," another answered, "and he would know."

"Yeah!" another said, "The guy's from Dark Land, remember? No way he wouldn't know."

"Speaking of Kraig, I just saw him back up in room 6D-4," the second nurse said.

"What? Didn't Dayna tell him to go home?"

"I guess he thinks he'll get answers about his brother if one of the royals wakes up."

"Well, as long as he rests, I don't see any harm."

Satisfied, the eavesdropper slipped into the stairwell. I knew they'd be here. So, room 6D-4. Let's see what I can find. She wall jumped between the balusters and made her way up to the sixth floor.

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

"I figured since you're not going to go home like we said, you might as well know what's happening," Dayna said.

"Thank you for telling me this, Dayna," Kraig replied.

"I have to go now, though," the Dayzee said to him, "We still have many patients who will need help after the panic those Bullet Bills caused." She left the room without another word.

Kraig bid her goodbye and turned to the conversing duo talking him. He waited for a lull in their conversation and cleared his throat.

"Prince Ludwig, Pauline?"

The two looked his way.

Ludwig sighed at the doctor's formality, "You do not reside in our kingdom any longer. You are not required to address me as your prince."

"Nonsense," Kraig replied. "I was born and raised in Darkland, and my little brother is in your military." He gave a small bow. "I will always hold respect towards my homeland and its rulers."

The Koopaling raised an eyebrow. "Knowing Spiky John, I imagine he would not allow you do disregard his commanders."

Kraig nodded, chuckling. "That may be part of the reason. He takes his place in the Koopa Troop seriously, as you no doubt are aware." The doctor sighed and shook his head. "Which is why I must ask you. Do you know where Johnathan is now? If he's okay?"

Ludwig sighed and shook his head. "I am sorry, Kraig. I am unaware of anyone's fate aside from my sister's and my own." He looked over at Wendy, who was as far as anyone knew the only other survivor of last night's disaster. The prince didn't dare say that out loud. Not only for Kraig's sake, but also because Ludwig feared that saying it out loud would run the risk of having such a tragedy come to pass. As if Sod's law depends on hearing you say it, Ludwig thought, suppressing a grimace.

Pauline put her hands on their shoulders. "Don't worry," she reassured the Koopas, looking between them, "If you two managed to get out of your castle and all the way out here, then it stands to reason that you're not the only ones who escaped."

The two had to agree.

Although Ludwig rolled his eyes. "That sounds like something Toadstool would say."

"I wouldn't argue with her if I were you," a voice at the doorway warned him.

The others snapped their heads in that direction.

Kraig stepped forward in suspicion. "Who gave you admission to come up here?"

But both Ludwig and Pauline recognized the newcomer at once, and spoke her name in perfect stereo:

"Blue Koopa?!"

The Ninjakoopa gave a thumbs up at the recognition. "Heya, Boss Lady! A little Noki told me you were at the hospital with some Koopa Royals. Looks like that secretary of yours was right!"

Hey! Looks like I got back for an awesome chapter!

Siph: J! *glomps*

*hugs him* Hi Siph! How's my little Yoshi?

Siph: Bored and lonely until a few seconds ago.

Awww! *kisses him on the nose*

Siph: Ugh! Not in front of everyone! *rubs his nose furiously*

I'm sure you weren't THAT bored or lonely with these awesome readers and their reviews.

Siph: Oh yeah, with you gone, we totally made fun of you without me having to worry about being smacked upside the head.

HA! I'm sure you did. By the way, what happened in the kitchen? It looked like someone tried cleaning it on a Bullet Bike.

Siph: Uh, why do you say that?

Well, for one thing, your Bullet Bike appears to be parked in there right now.

Siph: O.O *pokes head into the kitchen* …oh.