When I had more free time, I did less creative work. Now that I have less free time, I've been doing more creative work. Go figure.

Siph: It's like you always say. The human brain is weird and stupid.

And how. But whatever works to get me to work.

Disclaimer: I did not forget about my attempted tradition of posting a new chapter on my birthday. This is October 18, 2021.

Chapter 49: More Than a Wish

Mario and company crossed the east exit of Toad Town onto Pleasant Path. They had almost made it to the first bridge, but no sign of Toad's return yet.

Peach clasped her hands today. "I wish he'd find us soon."

"Princess!" Sure enough, the attendant called out behind them, prompting the group to turn around.

Toadette threw her hands up. "Hey, you made it!"

Peach ran to meet him and especially the Star Kid tagging along. "Twink! What are you doing here?" She hugged her old friend and carried him in her arms as they continued east.

"Being blocked off from Star Haven, that's what," he answered with a huff.

Peach looked at him. "Why are you blocked off?"

Toad answered for Twink, "That Umbra thing did something. Whatever blackened out the sky cut off our access to the Stars. The door literally slammed shut on poor Twink just as he was getting back to Star Haven."

"We're cut off from the Stars?!" Mario exclaimed.

"Not all of them." Peach let Twink go. "I bet you make much bigger wishes come true than you used to. Right, Twink?"

"Yeah!" Twink answered, full of energy. It was impossible to tell just how damaged he had been when he collided with Toad earlier. "I was actually returning to Star Haven because I just gave Ludwig some Star Power to help fix his wand."

Three Koopalings got in the Star Kid's personal space immediately upon hearing the eldest named.

"You were just with Luddy?" Junior's fiery red-orange eyes glistened.

"He's all the way out there in Big Ape City, right?" Roy looked at Peach, who nodded.

"That's what Pauline told me," the princess answered. "Oh, I wish I hadn't left my phone with Toadsworth. I could be calling her right now to get more information."

Twink winked. "I can go get it for you if you'd like. It'll take no time at all!"

She shook her head. "No, poor Toadsworth is probably worried enough as it is. You showing up to whisk away my phone from him probably wouldn't help, despite your friendly face, Twink."

The Star Kid shrugged. "Suit yourself."

"If only there were some other way to contact that group," Toadette wondered.

"Wait, Roy," Mario interrupted. "Didn't Ludwig use your wands to talk to you throughout the castle in your story."

"Yeah but only Ludwig knows that spell," Larry answered for his big brother, fidgeting with his own wand. "He's been trying to get us to learn it, but we all kept ignoring him."

"You should have listened to him," Junior said. "He's the smartest for a reason."

Roy pulled him into a noogie, prompting a protest from the little Dragon-Koopa. "He ain't that smart with all those excuses to avoid ya, Squirt."

"I got to swoop in and become the favorite big brother, so that's one good thing to come out of that." Larry beamed. "Though once all this blows over, I think that's going to change, so I better enjoy it while it lasts."

"Oh?" Peach asked. "What makes you say that?"

"Well, based on what we got from Koops, I bet that Umbra thing was motivating Ludwig to avoid Bowser." He turned to Junior. "And I know you totally worship the guy, so that would make Ludwig feel bad and power up the Umbra more. But I'm also jealous of Ludwig, so that probably helps him to."

Junior hugged Larry. "You're still awesome, you know."

Larry beamed again. "Yeah, I know. But Ludwig is pretty awesome too so I totally get it."

"He was also the heir before me, so I wanna learn from him."

"See? All the more reason for us to get his head out of his shell and just hang out with you. He's missing out on your awesomeness."

Roy huffed. "I dunno, Genius is still an idiot. Lem, me, and Kamek couldn't get through to him."

Larry pointed at Roy. "Which is why we need to take care of this Umbra. I'm positive it's a major influence on Lud's whole thing with Bowser." He gestured down at his pulsating shadow. "And if that's any indication, I think I'm on the right track." His shadow froze in place, then shrunk back to its proper state.

Luigi hummed. "I wonder how often that shadow thing happened and no one noticed."

Bowser Jr. looks down at his own shadow. "It only happens when the Umbra is mad at us, so maybe everything's gone according to plan until now."

Larry shrugged. "I think even if someone did notice, we would have thought it was a Boo playing a prank on us. No way we would have taken it too seriously."

Luigi crossed his arms at the mention of Boo activity. "Maybe you wouldn't."

Roy scratched his head. "I wonder why the Dumbra hasn't tried talkin' ta me since Squirt woke up. He was talkin' my ear off inside my head fer a good while before that."

Bowser Jr. barked a laugh and pointed at the ground beneath Roy's feet. "Your shadow flickered a bit when you called him Dumbra! He didn't like that!" He blew a raspberry at his brother's shadow. Then looked at his own shadow expectantly. But nothing happened. "Aww."

Peach giggled, "I can't believe you're actually disappointed."

Toad looked at Junior's shadow. "Maybe he learned to control himself."

Larry rolled his eyes. "Come on, Bowser, stop taunting King Dad's evil inner darkness that's stuck inside us all. We can do that later straight to his face." Larry's shadow pulsed at that remark.

"Or not," Toad appended, blinking.

"So wait," Toadette interrupted, "he reacted via your shadows when you two insult him," she pointed at Roy and Larry, then at Junior, "but not you. What's up with that?"

Mario looked back from the front of the group, "That is strange. Why wouldn't the Umbra's mood affect Junior's shadow?"

Larry rubbed his chin. "I can probably think of a few possible reasons, but there's no way to know for sure. But I really wish I'm wrong on one big one."

Twink floated near the Koopaling. "What's wrong?"

Before Larry could answer, his and Roy's shadows suddenly reached out and clawed at Bowser Junior with exaggeratedly overgrown claws. Being shadows, this did nothing. The shadows moved and returned to their proper places in less than a second.

However, the intent behind it was clear, and it stopped the party in their tracks.

This time it was Larry's turn to put his grip on the youngest Koopa prince. He grimaced and squeezed his eyes shut, hugging Junior tight. "I think I'm right."

Peach also moved closer to him. "Please tell me we didn't just see the Umbra try to attack Bowser Jr."

Roy lifted his shades. "That thing just lost its temper."

"For a split second, yeah." Larry glared at the ground. He hugged Bowser Jr. tighter. "I think he really hates you, Bowser."

Bowser Jr. instinctively hugged back. "W-why would Papa's Umbra hate me?"

Larry looked down at their shadows. "I think…" He saw his own shadow shimmer as he began. He swallowed as sweat began dripping off him. "I think you don't have it in you." His sweat came out more profusely as his shadow pulsed. He began to breathe heavily.

Roy grabbed his brothers. "Whoa, Baby Bro., you okay? You don't look so good."

Mario approached and used the Magical Map on Larry. "Looks like you're right. And the Umbra didn't want any of us finding out."

Larry sighed as the healing powers of the map washed over him. "I think it just attacked me for outing it. Just like it did Iggy. I guess it can't hurt me as bad though."

Roy clenched his fist. "I still don't like it hurtin' my bros like this. I think Pop'll forgive me if I punch him in the face while it's controllin' his body."

"I can't believe Junior doesn't have the Umbra in him," Peach repeated. "I wonder why."

Larry shook his head. "That's something I don't have any theories about."

"Regardless of why," Toad said, "the others need to know about this too."

Luigi held up Mario's Mailbox SP. "Done!" he said, showing his already sent email to Koops. "Too bad we don't have a good way to talk to Pauline's group."

Bowser Jr. sniffled. "I wanna talk to Luddy… I wish he would call us on your wands."

Suddenly, Ludwig's voice could be heard from within Roy's shell. "Roy, can you hear me?"

Roy pulled out his wand and everyone saw that the gem in the top was glowing. They all looked at Twink, who shrugged.

"I swear that wasn't me."

Roy cleared his throat. "Yeah we hear ya Lud. And you're not gonna believe what's been happenin' over here."

Siph: Oh COME ON! Why would you end the chapter there?

Oh that's nothing. It's also the end of Roy's section of this act.

Siph: Are you serious?! Man, you stink.

And how! But don't worry, we'll see the rest of that conversation in Ludwig's section.

Siph: Which is 3 chapters away. Is this your birthday present to yourself? Annoying me and the readers by making us wait?

It might not be.

Siph: I'm so stealing your cake for this.

Joke's on you. I already ate some!

Siph: Darn it! Well, review the chapter while I try to come up with a way to get back at J.