We're back!

Siph: Yeah, cuz it's summer, so J isn't safe on the college campus anymore!

Fortunately, the next few chapters shouldn't bring much attention to me. UNfortunately, I've been taking an online course to bolster my grade more. Gotta get me those scholarships. So I couldn't finish this new chapter until now.

Siph: I still put up the anti–bounty hunter stuff around the house, though. Just to be safe.

Good boy. *pat pat*

Disclaimer: The bounty on my head is not at an ideal price. Please come back another time. Never would be nice.

Chapter 33: A Familiar Face

The Ninjakoopa strutted into the hospital room. "Those Bullet Bills really went crazy, huh?"

Kraig cleared his throat. "Excuse me, miss, but I don't believe you have permission to be up here."

Blue Koopa tuned him out and walked over to Pauline and Ludwig. "Heya, Boss Lady. Good morning, your majesty."

Pauline could only shake her head in surprise. "Blue, what are you doing here? I thought Nadine sent you home."

The ninja cheekily put a finger on her chin. "Weeell, she didn't send all of us home, she just made us take the day off. Isn't that exactly what you ordered her to do?"

Pauline buried her face in her hands and groaned. "I don't remember. Too much is happening right now." I never did finish my coffee.

"Hey." Blue gently punched her boss's arm. "It's all right, Boss Lady. Chill."

Ludwig von Koopa cut into the conversation. "Hold on, you," he pointed at Blue, "work for her?" he pointed at Pauline.

Pauline nodded. "She's one of the company security officers."

"Interesting," Ludwig commented.

"Excuse me," Kraig cut in sharply. He looked at Blue Koopa. "You can't just barge into a patient's room without approval from someone here." The doctor sighed. "But I will let you stay, since you must be here to ask Prince Ludwig about your brothers."

The ninja blinked at Kraig and jerked a thumb at him as she gave a bewildered look to the others. "Is this guy a doctor or detective?"

Ludwig simply deadpanned at the exchange while Pauline chuckled.

"I told Kraig about you, Blue," she explained. "He was with me when I made that call to Nadine."

Blue looked slightly offended, but then she joked, "Boss Lady, are you sure you should be giving my information out to random Koopas? I'm not trying to get hitched, or anything."

Kraig rolled his eyes. "Charming."

"You had better hope Wendy did not hear you say that," Ludwig warned, looking over at his sister's prone form. "She tries everything in her power to get two people together if she sees potential in the couple."

Blue's eyes widened at this revelation. "Oh, shoot."

"Does her highness have any previous record of remembering what she hears in her sleep?" Kraig asked Ludwig.

He shook his head. "Not to my knowledge. However, it is entirely possible that she simply keeps this a secret, or that what she hears only comes to her as a subtle idea, without any hint of where such an idea came from."

Blue groaned, "So we might be doomed by the power of suggestion?"

Pauline laughed, "Didn't I hear someone tell you your jokes would get you into trouble one day?"

The ninja decided not to give her boss an answer, instead choosing to slink into her shell.

Pauline shook her head and continued laughing. "Will you feel better if I treat you to coffee?"

"Maybe," the security guard answered, still tucked inside her shell.

Ludwig and Kraig shook their heads in a mixture of amusement and slight impatience.

Ludwig sighed. "I can tell you both wish to know of your respective brothers' fates." He shook his head sadly. "I am afraid I will not be of any help. I do not know where Johnathon or the Koopa Brothers are at this moment."

Pauline looked on sadly. Although she couldn't help noting, The kid's perceptive.

Blue rose from her shell and stood up. "Nothing?" she asked.

Pauline put a hand on her shoulder. "Blue."

"I do not even know of my family's well-being." Ludwig looked over at Wendy O. Koopa. "Wendy is the only one I can account for now."

Kraig took Ludwig's hand. "We won't ask anything more of you regarding that, Your Highness."

"We'll try not to, anyway," Blue Koopa said, refusing to make eye contact.

Pauline nodded and smiled at the group. "You just get better, okay?" she ordered the Koopaling.

Ludwig von Koopa deadpanned at the human. "While I do not believe that is your call to make," he snarked, "I would be a fool to protest. Unfortunately, that is not entirely up to me at this moment."

"That was this close—" Blue Koopa help up her hand, her index finger near her thumb, "—to being a joke."

"Quiet, you."

Pauline giggled. Then she gasped as one word of what Ludwig said struck her. Call! I have my cell phone now. "I need to call Mario!"

Ludwig's mood soured again. "Why do we need him?"

The businesswoman sighed. Why do men have to be so stubborn? "Mario deserves to know that you're here and alive."

Blue Koopa leaned into Kraig's ear and whispered, "Uh-oh. She's using her 'I'm the boss get over it' voice."

The doctor wasn't amused. "Is everything a joke to you?"

Meanwhile, Pauline was fed up with the prince. "I'm not arguing with you on this! Mario can help!" She walked to the broken doorway and pulled her phone out before the Dragon Koopa could get another word in. She dialed the Mario Bros.'s home number. It rang several times before going to voicemail.

"Hello! It's-a me, Mario!"
"Don't forget Luigi! Please leave us a message at the tone, and we'll call you back as soon as we can. Unless your message is rude. Waluigi."
"Bye-bye!"

Right after the tone, Pauline rattled off a quick message. "Hey, Mario. It's Pauline. I found Ludwig von Koopa and Wendy O. Koopa. I'm with them right now at Big Ape Hospital. Please call me back."

Ludwig snarled, "Some help."

Pauline glared at him icily. "I'm not done."

Blue gave a low whistle. "I actually felt that. Brr!"

"I'm going to try Peach next." Pauline dialed the princess's cell. To her relief, the call was answered on the first ring.

"Peach, it's me, Pauline," she began. "I—"

"Terribly sorry to disappoint you, Lady Pauline," answered not Princess Peach, but her guardian Toadsworth, "but the princess fled to back to Toad Town as soon as she heard news of the attacks on Darkland. I'm sure you've heard."

"Oh! Right!" Pauline said. "I remembered Mario said something about expanding political ties to the islands around Isle Delfino in his most recent letter."

Toadsworth hummed on the other end. "Yes, yes. Unfortunately, Princess Peach was in such a hurry that she left her phone with me. She should be back at the castle by now, though, so I would recommend trying the priority number. I believe we did give that to you."

"Thanks Toadsworth. I will." Pauline went to hang up.

"It sounds urgent. If I may ask, what—"

Unfortunately for the poor elderly Toad, Pauline didn't hear him and hung up. She quickly dialed Castle Toadstool's emergency number.

"Another phone call?" Ludwig asked, even more confident in his doubt of her plan.

Pauline, to her credit, did not react as violently as before. Instead, she chose to give the royal a cold, unamused look that rivaled his own when they had first met.

Immediately, Pauline's call was answered.

"Castle Toadstool," came the unmistakable voice of a Toad. "This is Ala Gold."

"Al, it's Pauline," she answered. "I need to speak to Peach. It's important!"

"I wish I could get her, but she's at Toad Town Clinic right now."

Pauline raised an eyebrow. "Why is she at Toad Town Clinic?"

Ludwig groaned and rolled his eyes.

"She, Mario, Luigi, Toad, and Toadette went there with three Koopalings who literally fell on the castle's front lawn."

Pauline froze, then smiled slightly and looked over at Ludwig. "Reeeally?" she drawled.

Her sudden shift in demeanor was enough to capture the attention of all three Koopas in the room.

She continued, "Well, Al, can you call the clinic and have them deliver a message to them all?"

"You got it, Pauline."

"Tell them that I found Ludwig von Koopa and Wendy O. Koopa here in Big Ape City, and right now I'm with them at Big Ape Hospital."

"Whoa! Yes, of course! Right away! Thank you, Pauline!"

"Wait! Before you go!" Pauline exclaimed. "Which ones did you find at the castle, and are in the clinic now?"

"Roy, Larry, and Bowser Jr., ma'am. They're alive, too."

"Roy," Pauline said deliberately aloud, "Larry, and Bowser Jr. Got it."

Ludwig felt a flood of relief enter him as he heard his brothers' names listed. But when Pauline mentioned Bowser Jr., his eyes widened. I'm not ready for this.

"Well," Pauline said, "if any of them are awake, be sure that they're told their sister and oldest brother are also alive. In fact, Ludwig is even awake right now, listening to me as I try to contact Peach."

Ala Gold laughed. "I bet that was a scavenger hunt. And I'll be sure to include that in the message. Give the Koopas our regards."

"Mm-hm, thanks Al," Pauline closed. "Buh-bye."

Siph: Oooooooooooh. Smugwig's getting nervous!

Indeed. Anyhoodles, sorry again, folks, for how long this chapter took. You have no idea what kind of work I had to do.

Siph: Aaaaaaand he goes back next Tuesday. AAAAAAAAND his classes start the Tuesday after that.

Yeeeeeahhhh… my schedule's not looking so good. But at least I'll be safe from angry Koopas on-campus.

Siph: Why don't they attack you during the school year?

I imagine I have either Ludwig or/and Iggy to thank for that. They probably know the value of education.

Siph: WHATEVER. Read, review, and throw cotton balls at J for how long this chapter took. And try putting more into the review than just thanking him for the update.

Dang it, Siph! Why?!