All right now, readers. This happens to be the eleventh chapter of this story!
Now since we got the Peach interlude out of the way, we can focus on the Bowser interlude, which is basically what this chapter is about.
For this chapter, we check up on Bowser in the Dark Lands at his castle when Kammy Koopa gives him a report about the legendary treasure Andrew is supposedly after in Rogueport, along with shocking news about Peach's abduction that Bowser isn't responsible for this time. How will things go for the Koopa King and his advisor at his castle? Read and find out now!
IN THE DARK LANDS - AT A FAMILIAR LOOKING CASTLE:
Meanwhile, far away in the Dark Lands, we are focused on a rather menacing-looking castle. The place looked rather terrifying, and yet it was very familiar to those who had to get through it to reach a specific objective.
Inside the castle, we are shown a specific corridor or hallway leading up to the throne room. Two Koopatrols were standing on both sides of the throne room. Koopatrols were an elite member of the Koopa clan that wore armor and had spikes on their shells and a single spike on their heads.
The corridor was decorated simply, with some stone busts being shown left and right that resembled a certain Koopa King, and there were Hammer Bros. standing guard near some of the busts, with wooden mallets in their hands and blue football helmets on their heads. These took up a good chunk of the hallway that wasn't the pathway.
That's right. This happens to be the castle of Bowser; the Koopa King. All of the statues and busts that were shown throughout his castle were made in his likeness, which best demonstrated Bowser's ego.
At the end of the hallway, where the door was, two Koopatrols standing guard near it had heard some stomping approach the door. This meant that their leader was coming at the request of their advisor.
Immediately upon hearing it, both of them went ahead and opened the door for their master. Then stepping into the hallway, was Bowser himself. He didn't seem any worse for wear at the moment, aside from the fact that he was dragged away from his nap since his advisor had to tell him something.
"Gra har har har!" Bowser let out his typical laugh as he made his grand entrance into the hallway leading towards the throne room. "Bowser, the mighty Koopa King, has arrived! Hold your applause, minions!"
None of the minions were even clapping at his arrival. Bowser 'really' didn't care at the moment though. Considering what had happened to him three weeks ago in the Beanbean Kingdom, from getting amnesia to being possessed by Cackletta's spirit, he wasn't in too much of a mood for that right now. He was just willing to get down to business and get this done and over with.
"But now that I'm here... Kammy! You crusty old hag!" Bowser tried calling out for Kammy Koopa; who was his advisor. "Why did you summon me?"
It was then the two Koopatrols who opened the door for him had closed it back up. Once they closed it, one of the Koopatrols decided to inform him.
"Uh, Great Lord Bowser... The, uh, crusty hag Kammy Koopa will arrive momentarily," the Koopatrol informed him. "I'm 'really' sorry for the inconvenience, but please wait at the rear of the room."
"Pfft. Whatever," Bowser huffed. "I might as well wait on my throne..."
With that, Bowser marched to his throne. As he was doing so, he had to wonder what it was that Kammy Koopa needed to tell him. He already had enough of dealing with the Mushroom Kingdom, especially with the Mario Brothers.
He 'clearly' wanted a break from the usual princess kidnapping business after the whole Beanbean Kingdom debacle. He 'really' hoped that this was urgent news that Kammy had for him.
Kammy, you great hag. Bowser thought as he walked over to his throne area. This better be important...
Disregarding some of the gossip that the Hammer Bros. were having behind his back, Bowser had reached his throne and climbed up the stairs. Behind the throne was a giant painting of, you guessed it, Bowser. The Koopa King seemed to be a narcissist since he loved having his castle be under his 'own' image.
Once at the center of his throne, he heard the door open. He turned around to see who had just entered.
It was Kammy Koopa herself. She was an elderly Magikoopa who had been serving under Bowser's reign for ages. She was also one of the higher-ranked Magikoopas if her age and her clothing were anything to go by.
She was shown wearing a dark purple robe and a dark purple witch hat, which was bent backward.
She also had white hair down the side of her face and small oval-shaped glasses. Being shown with a hunched back, she was noticeably shorter than most Magikoopas. And in her hand was her magical staff that was used as her wand.
As soon as she saw her lord at his throne at the end of the room, she called out to him.
"Ah! Lord Bowser!" Kammy then walked over to the end of the room where Bowser was waiting for her.
As soon as she was right in front of his throne, she had to pant and breathe several times, given that she was elderly and the years that had gone by were wearing her down. Still, she tried her best to please the Koopa King.
"I've just now returned," Kammy had informed him. "I'm 'terribly' sorry to keep you waiting, my lord."
"I bet you are, Kammy Kooopa!" Bowser barked rather impatiently. "Now, out with it! Why have you called me here?"
"Please, your Grumpiness!" Kammy Koopa had to advise him. "Don't be so impatient with your poor servant."
After catching herself for a few more moments, Kammy Koopa cleared her throat and decided to get to business.
"Ahem..." Kammy got started. "It's my displeasure to report that some stranger, apparently named Andrew, is off to a town called Rogueport."
Bowser couldn't believe what he was hearing. Was she for real right down? What was Kammy supposed to be, his official news reporter about everything that goes on outside of the Dark Land, most of all, his castle?
He 'clearly' wasn't in the mood to deal at all. Watching Mario blow his nose was far more entertaining than this.
"Pbbbthbtth! Seriously? 'Oh, some stranger is exploring a town called Rogueport!' Good reporting there, Kammy!" Bowser sneered rather sarcastically before growling. "I don't know who the heck Andrew is. And frankly, I don't care either!"
Bowser then pointed his clawed finger at her in irritation as he continued.
"You woke me up from my nap for this?" He then snorted some steam out of his nostrils before putting his finger down. "What's next?! Are you gonna tell me that the Mushroom Kingdom Minister is having a heart attack or something?! Sheesh!"
Kammy couldn't help but jump at this. She was expecting her lord to react in such a manner. Considering how irate he has been since the mishap he was put through three weeks ago in the Beanbean Kingdom, this wasn't a surprise to her.
Still, she had something important that she needed to tell him, that involved Rogueport. So she needed him to give her his attention for what she had to say next.
"Yes, well, you see, my lord..." Kammy got down to the point. "'Apparently' this Andrew is hunting for an amazing treasure."
Now this got Bowser's full, undivided attention. If there was something that he wouldn't mind having besides the Mushroom Kingdom Princess being kidnapped by yours truly, it was to have some treasure in his possession.
"Tuh-Treasure?!" Bowser wondered in interest. He wouldn't mind having more riches at his disposal, and be able to use some of it to expand his Koopa Kingdom, setting up even more monuments in his image.
Seeing that she had his attention, Kammy was able to continue her explanation.
"Yes, this Andrew has gone in search of star-shaped jewels known as the Crystal Stars. I'm researching just what they are... but there's no question of their high value," she then added as a bonus. "And the best part is, that meddling scum, Mario, isn't involved in this treasure hunt. So this would be the perfect opportunity for us to claim that treasure with Mario remaining clueless about what is going on behind his back."
Now, this is what helped Bowser get into a better mood. It was surely an improvement over how he's been feeling previously. He had no idea what the Crystal Stars were, or what they were capable of, but they sure sounded like the kind of weapons he needed to take over the Mushroom Kingdom and claim Princess Peach for himself. Finding out that Mario wasn't involved in the treasure hunt was a bonus in his book.
For all he knew, he figured that Andrew was just a scrawny two-bit wimp who could be defeated easily. But he was completely unaware of how strong he was, and that he wasn't to be underestimated. Still, he felt like shrugging off any thoughts of Andrew putting a stop to him in Mario's place, as he focused on the subject at hand.
"The Crystal Stars, you say?" Bowser queried in complete interest and desire. "They sound like good world-conquering tools! I want 'em!"
Bowser then rubbed his chin with his clawed hand before being satisfied with what Kammy Koopa fished out for him.
"Hmm... Yes... Very good..." Bowser then gave Kammy Koopa his demand. "Continue researching this for me, you brainy hag, you."
Kammy Koopa was more than willing to look into the values of the Crystal Stars for him. Especially with the good mood Bowser seemed to be in at the moment. That was a given.
"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir. Leave it to me," it was then Kammy Koopa decided to ask him a question that came completely out of left field and was unrelated to the Crystal Stars. "By the way, Lord Bowser... Do you like fried eggs?"
Bowser had to think about that for a second. It's been a long time since he's had some fried eggs. And from what he remembered, they didn't seem too bad. No, 'actually', they were quite good. Very good. Probably the best that he ever had.
Despite the abnormality of the question, Bowser answered in an honest tone.
"Do I..." The Koopa King started. "I LOVE fried eggs! LOVE 'em!"
It was then Bowser had to ask her about the strangeness of the question, and how it came straight out of nowhere.
"But...what a weird question. Why do you ask?" Bowser queried.
It was then Kammy Koopa went into full description as to why she decided to bring that up with him.
"Well, during my Andrew recon and finding out what he was up to in Rogueport, I stopped in a lovely place called Petal Meadows," Kammy Koopa started snickering from behind her hand at this. "I was planning on taking everyone there for a picnic, having some eggs and toast... Of course, I wouldn't think of sending out invites without asking you first, Lord Bowser!"
It was at moment, that the seemingly good mood Bowser was in suddenly vanished. Was Kammy being serious right now? Since when did they have time to go on picnics, frolic through the flowers, and enjoy other fun stuff that those nutty fungi residents of the Mushroom Kingdom enjoy daily?
He was starting to get angry by the ignorance and stupidity of how his Koopa Troops were planning some idiotic get-together in the form of a picnic. Even though this wasn't done behind his back, he was clearly in no mood for picnics. This didn't sit well with him, so he decided to let Kammy Koopa know how he felt.
"AIRHEAD!" Bowser boomed angrily, getting everyone in the room to jump at his out-of-nowhere frustration. "A picnic?! You MORON! This is no time for fun!"
He was now glaring furiously at Kammy Koopa before finishing. "See, THIS is why my evil plans always derail! Because you clods always goof off! AAARGH!"
It was then Bowser was heard howling, roaring, bellowing, and snarling in all kinds of frustration as he now stomped his right foot violently on the ground, showing just how mad he was.
Kammy knew what this meant, as she knew that it wasn't good for his health to throw a tantrum like this. Especially after all the humiliating defeats he's suffered at the hands of Mario and his brother, not to mention the Beanbean Kingdom fiasco. She needed to get him to stop immediately, before he 'really' blows a fuse, not unlike a Bob-omb.
"Oh, dear... Lord Bowser... Please calm down..." Kammy Koopa begged him to stop, to no avail. "Remember your blood pressure..."
As he continued to stomp in anger, a blue-robed Magikoopa, who was most likely Kamek; Bowser's other advisor, walked over to her and tapped her on the shoulder.
"Hm?" Kammy looked curious about what Kamek needed to tell her. "What's that?"
It was then that Kamek whispered something into her ear. Considering the serious expression that was shown on Kamek's face when he whispered it to Kammy, and the fact that Kammy now had a horrified expression on her face, it must've been pretty serious.
"Whaaaaat? Is this TRUE?!" Kammy Koopa howled in fright as Kamek stepped away from her. This was something that Bowser needed to be informed about. Effective immediately. And she needed to do it now, whether he was throwing a tantrum or not.
"Lord Bowser! Terrible news!" Kammy Koopa yelled out to him, hoping this'll get his attention. "Some bold fool abducted Princess Peach in Rogueport!"
This immediately got Bowser to stop his little stomping tirade, as he now had a very grim and serious expression on his face. Did she just say what he thought she said? Did she 'really' say that Princess Peach was kidnapped in Rogueport? And it wasn't by HIM this time? 'Clearly', Bowser didn't like what he heard.
"HUHHH-WWWHHHAAATTT?!" Bowser howled, wanting answers. "Tell me you're lying, Kammy! How? When? WHERE? Who'd do such a thing? Besides me?"
"I'm afraid we don't have that information quite yet... The investigation's ongoing," Kammy Koopa had to confirm it. "One thing is most certainly confirmed, however: the princess has been kidnapped."
Bowser didn't like this. He didn't like it at all. There was no way that some lowlife was going to step onto his turf and kidnap the Princess of the Mushroom Kingdom since that was HIS job.
He was the only one who was allowed to kidnap Princess Peach, as far as he was concerned. He was NOT going to let it happen, either. He was going to set the record straight.
"Under NO circumstances is ANYONE allowed to kidnap her without MY say-so! I will NOT stand for this! Mario or no Mario!" Bowser declared furiously. "I'm going to Rogueport, NOW! I've gotta kidnap her back! Before word gets out to Mario! And he decides to rescue her! AGAIN!"
Kammy Koopa watched as she witnessed Bowser storm off in a fit of fury as he needed to handle the situation right here and now. Kammy was about to chase after him until he saw Bowser was now riding in his Koopa Clown Car.
The elderly Magikoopa knew what this meant. There was no stopping Bowser when he wanted to get what he wanted, or when he wanted to reclaim something that's rightfully his.
Not bothering to use the front door of the castle, Bowser made a gaping hole in the wall of his castle as he flew out of the Dark Lands in his Koopa Clown Car.
It was then Kammy Koopa felt that it was best to follow him as she got onto her broom that was bigger than her. There was a bamboo-like texture to the wood of her broom, and the end of the broom had a white and purple cloud-like texture. It started to puff as she approached the hole in the wall while on it.
"But... Your Grunginess!" Kammy tried calling for him. "Wait up!"
In no time at all, Kammy Koopa flew off after him, as they were leaving the Dark Land with the intent of searching the entire Rogueport region for the princess.
They were completely unaware of the madness that they'd be going through from attempting such a feat, which would lead to some humiliating situations for them, especially for Bowser. They would find that out for themselves in due time. There was no doubt about that...
END OF CHAPTER 11...
Yeah. That's it for this chapter. It's 'definitely' shorter than the chapters that are focused on Andrew, and even the previous chapter that was focused on Peach. But what do you expect? It's focused on Bowser, who for this story, is 'basically' playing out the comic relief sections just like in the game. So don't expect the Bowser Interludes to be long at all.
Now, I know that the heart attack comment was rather harsh in context. But hey. Bowser is a villain. It's not like him to give a flip about whether someone in the Mushroom Kingdom suffers from a heart attack. Except maybe Princess Peach.
Also, I think it's noticeable, but regarding the blue-robbed Magikoopa that informed Kammy about Peach's abduction here, I decided on having him be Kamek himself since many people have assumptions that it was Kamek who delivered Kammy Koopa that shocking news. I hope this is quite alright with the rest of you, readers.
Lastly, I think you guys can expect this routine to play out after the end of each chapter that focuses entirely on Andrew, just like it did in the games. So just be ready for that.
Anyway, next time, we'll be focusing on Andrew and his two partners again. In this chapter, Andrew and Goombella decide to go back to Rogueport Sewers, Koops decides to join them on their quest to find the other Crystal Stars after talking with his father, girlfriend, and the mayor, Andrew gets that email from Princess Peach, realizing that the adventure would be longer than he had thought, and they head for the Thousand-Year Door, and some other stuff too. How will this go for them? Find out next time, readers!
In the meantime, you can leave a review for this chapter and let me know what you think. We'll be getting back to the main segments of the story next time.
Aside from all of that, there's nothing else that I have to say. So until next time, I do hope you'll take care of yourselves. And on that note, thanks again for reading, everyone!