Hello everyone!

Here's another little story following on from "Sing for me" and the other stories here.

In keeping with the winter theme ^^ some funs before we move on to a more serious subject with its share of questions. It's a subject I've been wanting to explore since the creation of this alternative universe, and which I think will be very interesting to bring to light. At the same time, it raises a big question about the Mario universe itself, and more specifically about its characters. I can't wait to hear what you think about that!

In the meantime, I present this new story, which I hope you'll enjoy!

A memorable battle

Ice Kingdom, 7:38 a.m.

An icy storm was raging.

The fury of the north wind swept everything in its path, creating compact clouds of snowflakes to the point of obstructing all visibility. A veritable pea-mash fell on the Kingdom, caught by the forces of nature, sometimes merciless in this isolated world where only certain creatures found refuge. The toughest, the most rigorous, the most acclimatized could live in such extreme conditions. A place where no one, with a few exceptions, ever set foot. For it was only the most reckless who dared to defy the cold and ice that rubbed shoulders daily in permanently sub-zero temperatures, making this world the least hospitable after the Darklands.

Brave or just plain stupid ... it all depended on your point of view.

And yet, in this hostile climate with its frigid gusts, little blue-and-white creatures were working without fearing the bite of the cold. The many penguin builders worked tirelessly to repair their beloved Kingdom, using only the strength of their flippers to assemble large blocks of ice. Pulled by ropes, these heavy blocks were up to three times their size, but nothing seemed to frighten them. The damage caused by the vile Bowser was extensive! For months, they had been toiling away to restore the magnificence of their ice castle, which had been so hard hit by the madness of an evil being. Each of them was determined to finish the job and once again proudly display their supremacy for all to see! May their respectable King once again count among the greatest.

"Yo-heave-ho!"

They all shouted in chorus as each block of ice was transported and hoisted to the top of the towers under reconstruction. The storm wasn't working in the penguins' favor. They were having trouble finding their bearings, so they used their voices to split the clouds of flakes. The sentinels did their best to observe the surroundings and detect potential invaders. But as the whiteout grew thicker, it became difficult to even see the nearby watchtowers, putting the workers in harm's way. But the pace never slowed. On the contrary, they were tenacious! Unstoppable as the penguins cut the ice with perfectly timed picket blows, setting the pace for all these hardened workers.

"Higher!" Shouted a builder, flicking his flipper so that the penguins at the top of the tower would use all their strength to erect an ice spike where their flag would hang.

Wiping his brow with a weary sigh, the little penguin smiled with contentment as the spade finally rose. With a pat on his companion's flipper, they hurried to hoist the Ice Kingdom's famous flag, a symbol of their omnipotence. It was a great moment! At last, after all those months of hard work, they were home again! With a shout of victory, the two penguins began a little dance of joy, which was quickly interrupted by a strange phenomenon. The flag at the top of the pike suddenly folded in the absence of wind, before abruptly changing direction with a rustle of fabric. Puzzled, they looked at each other with wide, round eyes as a dull roar suddenly echoed through the valley, shaking the ground beneath their yellow paws.

Something gigantic was approaching.

The large blocks of ice tinkled under the vibrations, and a long silence ensued as they all strained their ears to listen to the strange sound that seemed curiously familiar... There was no doubt about the origin of this rumbling. The builders on the ground immediately dropped their tools to start running in terror, but with this storm it was difficult to see where they were heading. Their cries of fear echoed as the guards did their best to direct the crowd to the safety of the castle, which could easily be spotted thanks to the lights of the palace made entirely of ice. There was general panic. As the rumbling approached and intensified, the penguins scattered, quickly finding refuge through the thick winter veil.

Huge, ominous glowing lights pierced the snow flurries. They were coming dangerously close to the last of the rebuilt towers, where the Penguin builders had been just moments before. The ground shook so hard that cracks appeared in the ice beneath the feet of the alert soldiers, their eyes squinting at the approaching threat. Tightening their flippers around their metal spears, they took a few steps back as a precaution when they realized that those famous lights were actually cascades of lava falling from a titanic flying castle. One of them sighed, slapping his forehead. Him again... Couldn't he go bother someone else for once?! They'd had enough of cleaning up after him!

"In position!" Shouted the leader of the soldiers, having worked out a stratagem as he followed the imposing ship appearing through the storm.

He swallowed as the shadow of the evil castle covered the first watchtowers and then the soldiers, feeling ridiculously small and powerless. Refusing, however, to be impressed for the sake of their homeland, they all took up their positions to face the imminent Koopa threat. Fury written on their round, adorable faces. On the verge of shouting their war cry at the approaching mooring balls, they were confused when the fire ship suddenly stopped and began to turn back a few meters. Far enough to avoid damaging anything during the anchoring process. Now far away from the first towers, the menacing cannonballs slammed into the icy ground, startling the guards who had no idea what was going on.

At first motionless in the air, the floating castle began its long descent to the ground, allowing Bowser's big mouth to open onto the snow-covered terrain. The earth started to shake violently from the pull of the massive chains firmly planted in the ground. The noise was deafening... It echoed in the hearts of the guards, anxious for further trouble. The snow lifted as the huge ship landed. It enveloped the entire castle of stone and lava as the rumbling grew louder. Somewhat ominously, the ship's menacing silhouette soon loomed behind the thick white veil. Two glowing eyes, horns and a broad snout faced the soldiers, who stood firm despite their fear.

Bowser's arrival was near.

Covering their eyes with the softly falling snow, the penguins raised their heads to gaze at the black mass now firmly anchored to their sacred ground. A long silence followed. No one moved or spoke for a few seconds, during which fear took over from determination. They were trained for this kind of situation, but knowing who was coming to visit them, the brave penguins ended up taking several steps backwards. Especially when the mouth of the stone Bowser slowly opened and the orange-red light of the fire danced over the immaculate white snow at their paws. Nonetheless, despite their terror, they quickly pointed their spears at several small figures rushing out of the maw to form two rows on either side of the main entrance. The leader of the armies came to the end of the line and glared at his rivals with his one eye, rigid and unruffled.

Flags fluttering with Bowser's likeness, the Koopa guards placed their hands on their helmets in a sign of respect as the Magikoopa leader appeared in a pink cloud. Walking quietly between the silent ranks, the magician wore a smug little smile as he approached the intimidated Penguin soldiers. The blue and white creatures could see their own terror in the reflection of the Koopa Wizard's cloudy glasses. They were pathetic... But they wouldn't flinch! Never in the face of an enemy of this magnitude. Their honor was at stake! Gritting their teeth and glaring at Kamek, they pointed their spears at him. But as soon as he formed a ball of violet magic with his wand, the soldiers quickly dropped their weapons and stepped back.

"Go warn the King we have intruders!" Exclaimed the leader with a sign to the others, who hurried to the ice castle.

"Yes, do that..." Kamek wearily spoke with a small sigh while admiring his claws, the cries of the horrified penguins receding into the snowstorm.

It only took a few more minutes for a large procession of penguins to appear on the horizon. An armada of bipedal creatures accompanying and protecting their beloved King, who was looking down on himself with his oversized crown and overlong cape. Ew, he was ridiculous! Kamek thought with a shake of his head as several defensive lines formed behind the pitiless-looking Penguin King. Unlike the soldiers before, he didn't exude an ounce of fear, like an impenetrable wall of ice. He looked fearsome, but above all unsurprisingly, very angry. Waiting patiently for the penguins to settle in, Kamek brushed the red stone with his wand, finding the whole situation really comical. All this effort for nothing... All this military deployment to try to impress.

But impress who, exactly?

"What do you want?!" King Penguin urged in his big, deep voice, doing his best to look ruthless in the face of his enemy. He had a bad feeling about this, and above all he was worried... Because he didn't want to find himself back in that cage with that twisted, depressed Luma! If he did, he'd go completely crazy.

"How about you ask that pertinent question to the right guy?" Kamek replied with another of his pretentious little smiles as he turned to point his wand at the castle entrance. Then he cleared his throat again.

"Uh uh, make way for His Highness Bowser, the King of the Koopas and Queen Cinder!" He announced proudly, pointing to the two sovereigns finally appearing in the wide-open maw.

One of the figures was huge with a carapace full of spikes, while the other was smaller and more slender. One was wearing a long, warm red coat, and the other hadn't bothered to cover himself from the winter wind, having just donned his usual black metal bracelets. After all, fire lived in him! The large, intimidating turtle's heavy footsteps shook the ground as they drew closer to meet the King of Snowland. The other figure accompanying him looked tiny in comparison. Face hidden by a hood, arms clasped to keep warm, long wavy crimson hair fluttered in the breeze. The human commonly known as the Lava-Haired Woman, who had become the wife of the tyrannical King was setting foot in this country for the first time.

They walked through the deep snow until they reached Kamek's side, still smiling evil. The Magikoopa straightened his glasses on his beak and, after making a short bow to his Master, he slipped away alongside the uncompromising Koopa army chief. Not in the least perturbed by the frigid temperature of this land of woe, as he liked to call it. Bowser stopped right in front of the blue-and-white King, who glared at him without ever lowering his eyes, his oversized crown leaning over the right side of his round head. At this fierce, almost frightening look, his bushy red eyebrow rose to his forehead as a vile smile stretched the corners of his broad muzzle.

But the ruler of this Kingdom would not be deterred by all of this ridiculous display, the sole purpose of which was to instill fear into their brave hearts. No, he wasn't going to let that happen! First squinting at the mysteriously calm human, then his defiant gaze rose to meet Bowser's lust-filled eyes. There he saw one of his famous malevolent smiles on a nightmarish face. This sent a shiver up his spine. He felt as if this unbearable suspense was going on forever... That it would never end. What did he want in the end? Why was he here? Swallowing his many fears, he stood up proudly when he finally decided to speak up and break the silence.

"Infamous King Bowser, how dare you tread on our land after what you've done! It's a disgrace!" King Penguin complained, staring at the giant Koopa from head to toe. This new encounter had already left a bitter taste in his mouth!

"King of the Penguins, how we meet again! Why this greeting? We just want to make peace. How have you been since last time? No hard feelings?" Began the big spiny turtle while raising his arms at his side with a falsely apologetic air. His voice was almost melodious as he played on words to rile his tiny but reckless rival.

"You damned turtle ... There's nothing of value here for you! Nothing to satisfy your insatiable appetite. We no longer have a super Star! You've already humiliated us once, but I won't allow a second humiliation. So go back where you came from and never come here again!" King Penguin summoned his flipper and gestured to his furious soldiers not to interfere.

"Oh yeah, think again penguin. There is a purpose to my coming, and I'm not leaving without got back what's mine! You know that your fragile little ice palace will not survive my wrath, so I advise you to obey without any fuss." Bowser said quietly, crossing his arms with a look of disdain. Threats were his specialty, and if it were up to him, he'd have made them by now.

"Our majestic palace will repel big bullies like you! We've reinforced it and we'll beat you to a pulp. We will never surrender." Growled his shorter interlocutor, who stubbornly refused to be trampled, his dark gaze enough to frighten a Thwomp.

"Bwahahaha!" Bowser laughed out loud, revealing his razor-sharp teeth. The sudden hilarity caused his Koopas soldiers to imitate him, even if they didn't know why they suddenly had to laugh. Had he said something funny?

Whatever. It was fun!

"You and your evil organization ... Have you no mercy?!" The penguin leader exclaimed, tightening his cape as he looked at all the turtles laughing for no real reason.

"They're really pathetic." A soldier to his right regretted with a shake of his head. This had the effect of stopping Bowser's machiavellian laughter before a look of horror took over every feature of his face.

"You'll see which one of us is more pathetic!" The latter shouted, clenching his fists, which soon turned red with rage.

"Enough of this! Have some dignity. Stop procrastinating and tell us what you want instead. I've got a game of slide-slide waiting for me, so let's cut short this interview, which is getting really painful to endure. Your sulfurous breath will kill us all!" The courageous King put his wing to his forehead with a theatrical groan, quickly imitated by his soldiers.

"Perhaps should I refresh your memory?!" Bowser growled, pretending not to have heard the futile insult. He extended his claw in his direction, eliciting a collective sigh of shock.

"Ew! Don't point your ugly finger at our revered King! That's rude!" Insisted one of the penguin soldiers, trying to wrestle away from the others to reach the big rude turtle and make him regret his gesture.

"You big yellow fool!" Another revolted.

"Go brush your teeth!" Screamed a penguin somewhere in the bustling crowd, taking a cue from their brave, unimpressed sovereign.

The one-eyed chief of the Koopas rolled his eye. Dialogue of the deaf...

Supported by his many loyal subjects, the King crossed his flippers and smiled boldly, making a wave with his invisible eyebrows. Much to Bowser's dismay, he was now mocked by all these flightless birds. The last straw! Faced with a tidal wave of insults, Bowser's anger grew and grew, horrified at being humiliated in front of his partner and his Koopas. His inner fire fueled by his fury, the tingling of the flames soon tickled his throat to the point where smoke was billowing from his nostrils. He could actually hear some of his own soldiers laughing at the mockery! Despite Kamek and the army chief, who did their best to keep order among the troops.

With a guttural growl, Bowser's whole body shook under the pressure. He was being ridiculed in front of everyone, in front of his Queen! And yet he was trying so hard to make her proud of him by behaving better. What was wrong with his peaceful ways? What more did they need? An apology? A formula of politeness? A magic kiss? What the hell! He certainly wasn't going to follow in the footsteps of his son Junior, he still had some dignity left. Especially since his patience had its limits, and his limit had just been reached.

"You little-" However, he didn't have the chance to finish his sentence as a hand quickly came to rest on his left arm.

"What my husband is trying to say, is that he would very much like to get back the soldiers you took prisoner during the conflict between the Koopas and the rest of the worlds. We're not here to declare war." Cinder quickly decided to intervene before the situation degenerated for good. He'd been very clumsy so far, despite the hours of rehearsal... Staring into Bowser's angry red face, she tightened her fingers around his arm to get him to calm down.

"Oh, but you should have said so earlier! Why all the suspense?" Sneered one of the opposing soldiers, scratching the top of his head in doubt.

As for the King of the Penguins, he squinted suspiciously at the young woman who was finally revealing herself. Yes, definitively another human. He'd heard of her benevolence and courage, but he'd never had the chance to meet her in person. And to be honest, he would have preferred their meeting to have taken place under different circumstances and without that hothead of a husband. But with the talk of the Eight Worlds, such a thing would have been impossible, given Bowser's possessiveness. Sad. The woman's hood had slipped off her head to reveal her long, lava-like hair, on top of which stood a glittering silver tiara. So the rumors were true... She was quite pretty for a human, with her big apple-green eyes and natural gentleness.

In any case, she had quite a calming effect on the terrible King of the Darklands.

"I'm so happy to meet you, great King Penguin! I've heard a lot about you and your infinite goodness. Your people are powerful." And you're incredibly adorable, she would have added, if the stakes weren't so high. Carefully crossing her hands over her legs, she continued in the same cheerful tone.

"Your Kingdom is magnificent, and breathtakingly beautiful! It lives up to its reputation." She enthused with a small, conquered nod. Beside her, Bowser's eyes widened in bewilderment. But before he could make a snide remark, Kamek joined Cinder's stratagem.

"Oh yes, it's paradise here. The dream vacation destination! There's ice as far as the eye can see. Couldn't dream of anything better!" Magikoopa smiled exaggeratedly as he clasped his hands together on his stick. Through clenched teeth, he breathed to his Master to say no more and let them be.

"Well, thank you. It's true that we have the most beautiful Kingdom." Still wary, King Penguin cleared his throat while keeping his flippers crossed. He wasn't going to be taken in by her benevolent gaze or charming smile! He knew very well what they were trying to do, except that she was running into a wall …

Of ice.

"Please, excuse my husband. He's a hothead, especially when it comes to his Koopas. You know, we're like one big family. So when one of us is in danger, he'll do anything to save us." Cinder unveiled with much more tenderness this time, touching the turtle's arm and pouting beside her. And when he looked down at her, she gave him a smile full of sincerity and love that didn't go unnoticed by the penguins.

"That's all very nice, but neither flattery nor sentiment will get you anywhere. I'm sorry, the answer is no." The King shook his head, then sighed in dejection.

The muscle under Cinder's hand suddenly tensed as she could almost feel the heat emanating from Bowser's body. Oops. He hated it when people said no! It was like a declaration of war, a provocation. Reflectively, she began to think of a solution so that everyone could find common ground without escalating the situation... She didn't like seeing him like this, so hostile and violent when he was just trying to repair the damage. A far cry from the Bowser she'd come to know over months. A character reserved about his emotions but one of the most touching, eager to live in happiness and shared love in a home where he could be himself. Without judgment.

She'd tell herself that every time, but she kept hoping that others would eventually see what she saw. Someone misunderstood and extremely clumsy, but not a bad person at heart. Just bad luck and maybe a little too much ego... All right, a lot of ego.

"Your highness, if I may-" Licking his beak, Kamek raised his finger to speak only to be cut off by the King of this Kingdom.

"I said no, and I will stand by my decision. I've heard those famous rumors that the King of the Darklands is now showing tolerance and empathy, but they're just rumors! I don't believe them. You barge into my Kingdom, crushing our precious snow under your big feet, and you think I'm gonna welcome you? We were lucky last time not to be sacrificed in that ridiculous ceremony... Nevertheless, we've learned our lesson." Shuddered the penguin after he had straightened his big crown, which was about to fall down.

"See? I told you diplomacy would get us nowhere!" Bowser muttered hastily, leaning towards Cinder pensively. He finished with a grunt; "they're all stubborn."

"Wait, let me try!" She whispered in reply with a finger tapping her lower lip in reflection. She couldn't ignore the discomfort of the opposing party, for it was obvious that they had suffered under Bowser's tyranny when he still coveted Peach's hand. But how could she explain to them that those days were over?

"What if..." Cinder began, instantly stopping the whispering in both camps.

"What if we took them all prisoner?" Kamek continued cheerfully, grinning with excitement. In return, he got a dark look from the Queen.

"Uh, no ... I wasn't really thinking about that." Embarrassed, Cinder tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear before her face lit up again.

"How about we settle this with a game?" She proposed, but at the skeptical looks, she hurried on.

"I suggest we have a snowball fight. The Koopa family versus the Penguins. Whoever wins the battle will decide the fate of the prisoners. What do you say?" Cinder stopped pacing in the snow and turned to the little creatures who were staring at her strangely. She smiled sheepishly, having gotten the idea when she'd once had to settle a conflict between Junior and the Koopalings by combining fun with competition. Since she had read about the penguins before coming here, she knew that they had a strong competitive spirit.

"This is absurd!" Koopa's army chief scandalized at this far-fetched proposal. Glancing obtusely at Cinder with his one eye, he flinched when Magikoopa wrapped his hand around his beak to silence him.

"Don't say a word! It's very clever. They won't be able to refuse such a proposal. We have every chance to win." Kamek retorted in a low voice with a raised finger.

"Just a moment." The King of the Penguins, seeming to consider her suggestion, quickly turned back to his soldiers then beckoned them closer for some sort of impromptu council.

Bowser crossed his arms over his breastplate as the penguins spoke in low tones, occasionally raising their heads to stare at them sternly. He would never have had such an idea! It was certainly far-fetched, but he loved the idea of a battle for not only did he excel in the art of waging war, he also loved competition. Fire versus ice? Pfft, he was sure to win! Last time, their tiny snowballs had done nothing to him when he'd come to take the star. With a confident chuckle, Bowser puffed up his chest before looking at his wife, who was nervously awaiting their reply. The giant Koopa smirked as the little blue-and-white creatures dispersed, leaving the floor to their self-assured King.

"Agreed. We accept your challenge!" They all nodded in unison.

"Then, let the battle begin!" Bowser announced eagerly, certain that he was going to win hands down against those webbed little twerps.

"This is war! Get into position!" King Penguin ordered, his troops eager to give the Koopas a run for their money. Without further ado, a large steel cage on wheels was brought in with ten Koopas prisoners so they could witness the battle.

"What do we do now?" Dismayed by this unexpected decision, the army chief raised his arms, unsure of what to do next.

"We're winning the war!" Exclaimed Cinder, clenching her fist and happy that her proposal had been accepted so easily. In the end, it didn't take much to change their minds... Now all that remained was to win the battle.

And when she saw dozens of penguins pulling huge catapults up to the level of the watchtowers, she wondered if her idea was as good as all that. It wasn't the Koopalings opposite! Swallowing at the shadow of those wooden catapults and the determination shown by the opposing camp, Cinder stepped back to join the Koopas who were making piles of snowballs in reserve. Everyone was busy. But that was nothing compared to the organization of the Penguins! They were used to games, but even more so to this type of activity that required skill, precision and strength. Standing on a pedestal in the shape of an ice cube, the King of Snowland dictated to his soldiers where and how to position themselves to gain the upper hand on the field, while bouncing a snowball into his flipper.

"They're finished. Charge!" He shouted, signaling his brave soldiers to attack.

"Koopas, no quarter!" Yelled Bowser from the other side of the battlefield, soon to be covered in ferocious penguins ready to find out.

The snowballs flew through the air, smashing into heads, shells, arms, legs and anything else within reach. War cries and impacts were the only things that could be heard in this bitter cold, where the weather had decided to be a little more clement. The mist had disappeared, giving way to sunny spells and small snowflakes freed from the gusts. With their numbers about equal, the flying Koopas dived to bombard the penguins from the air, where it was difficult to target them. Unfortunately, the slingshots combined with the best marksmen hit most of the winged Koopas, who crashed headfirst into the snow.

Kamek, for his part, was laughing like mad. It had been years since he'd had so much fun in battle! He'd forgotten just how entertaining it could be. Using his precious magic to propel his snowballs, he levitated them before sending them at his opponents who were having difficulty dodging him. He might be old, but he certainly wasn't lacking in dexterity! He remembered when Bowser was a child, they used to have fun throwing balls around the castle courtyard. Well, it was more often he who acted as the ball, but it was still good memories that today enabled him to hit his moving targets. Good old Bowser... He'd given him a run for his money, and still does today.

"Take this! And this, and this!" He shouted between giggles every time he hit a penguin with his magical projectiles. With several graceful pirouettes, the bespectacled magician snapped his fingers to deflect a huge snowball that was about to bury him.

At the same time, Bowser ran towards the King on his block of ice, taking a deep breath to spit out his mighty fire. But as soon as he opened his mouth, something hit him head-on. A large snowball entered his wide open mouth. Wide-eyed with surprise and on the verge of choking, the big turtle stumbled to the ground, finally sliding flat on his belly. His head sank into the snow as he left a large crater in his spectacular fall, knocking over a few Koopas that had the misfortune to stand in his way like skittles.

"Ha ha! Eat that, fatso!" Two penguins joked after slapping their flippers for this masterstroke. Even if it seemed to have been thrown off course... Hoisted onto one of the giant catapults, they laughed at the King of the Koopas as he lay face down, slapping their butt.

Breathing out a long, frustrated sigh, Bowser slowly lifted his head from the snow when he sensed a presence to his left. Cinder was sitting next to him, making sure he was all right after this umpteenth painful humiliation. The young woman had removed her gloves to touch his hair with her fingertips to remove the snow. Her other hand slipped under his chin so he could turn his head towards her and see her tender smile, her long hair tickling his arm. Her happy expression immediately drove all the anger from his heart, to be replaced by a feeling of lightness, as if he were floating on a little cloud of snow... Hands in front of his head, he tried to return her smile with an embarrassed chuckle, enjoying her gentle touch.

He loved every one of her contacts, no matter what the situation!

Cinder tilted her head to one side as her fingers ran through his flaming red hair, trying to comb it back a little. He'd had quite a fall! He was covered in snow and yet he still wasn't shivering. His body emanated this natural warmth that penetrated even to her hands, preventing her from feeling the bite of the cold. Each of his yellow scales was warm under her touch as she tenderly stroked his protruding chin, lost in his gaze devoid of all bitterness. She loved that special look, as she did his adorable, awkward smile. As her hand lingered on his cheek, Bowser felt the little tingles left on his skin by her warm fingers. Paradoxically, he felt cold without being cold.

But this moment was abruptly interrupted when a snowball came into contact with Cinder's head and she let out a little "ouch! "of surprise.

"WHO DID THIS!" Bowser immediately roared, leaping to his feet to look around for whoever was behind this sneak attack. How dare he interrupt such a moment with his beloved!

Cinder laughed, then leaned back on her hands to watch the scene distractedly. Sitting cross-legged, she didn't bother to remove the snow stuck to her hair or her fluffy red coat. After all, she was used to the castle's little rascals, and they usually didn't hold back when it came to snowball fights. Her contemplative smile never faltered as she watched the large, menacing turtle send huge quantities of snow towards their opponents, creating a huge wall of protection. This motivated her to return to the fight at his side.

"Go to fight!" Brandishing her fist in the air, Cinder put her gloves back on, then ran towards the Koopas soldiers who were forming a chain to bring ready-made balls to the defensive line.

It was an epic battle. Soon both sides were no longer taking this competition seriously, but rather as a huge playground where they could laugh and have fun while making fun of each other. Too bad the kids had been ordered to stay back, as they would have been a great help! Especially with Junior's catapult robot. For around thirty minutes, the two parties battled relentlessly until the Koopas had frozen fingers and the penguins had tired flippers. Who would finally capitulate? That was the question. Until, out of nowhere, a small white flag fluttered in the wind to mark the end of the war. Immediately, the battlefield fell silent as all eyes focused on the little flag of peace.

"I surrender..." Exhausted, the King of Ice Kingdom lay on his block of ice with the crown covering half of his face. Using the last of his strength, he held the flag aloft.

"We won!" The last Koopas left on their feet exclaimed, embracing each other with several small shouts of victory.

"We're the strongest." The army chief congratulated himself with a small, satisfied smile. One of the few he allowed himself.

"Your Wickedness, you have won this battle!" Relieved but above all incredibly proud, Kamek clasped his hands together under his beak to look at his still shocked sovereign.

"We won, mwahahaha!" Bowser repeated, clenching his fists in ecstatic happiness.

"I knew we could do it." Cheeks flushed, Cinder heaved a deep sigh of exhaustion but was happy to have won this victory. Tonight, she was going to take a nice hot bath!

"It was fabulous Sir, you did it! You are the best!" Kamek added, giving a thumbs-up to the big Koopa who was being cheered on by his frenzied troops. Logical, given that it was one of the few times they'd ever won anything!

"Well done Boss!" Congratulated the Koopas of all colors as they quietly made their way towards the castle in the background.

Bowser took all the praise from his loyal soldiers and urged them to cheer him on, ignoring their webbed opponents groaning in defeat. He'd won, he didn't care about these miserable losers! Let them accept defeat for once. Overjoyed, the fire-breathing King walked back to his castle with all these braves at his heels, muttering a few strategic criticisms to the penguins. A bunch of idiots who really thought they could win against them? Ha, big deal! Busy congratulating each other on this memorable battle, they climbed back into the open mouth of the ship to continue the celebration, paying no attention to one last little detail...

"And … What about us?" Asked the Koopas trapped in their steel cage.

End

Thanks for reading and thanks for your comments! Your support is my inspiration.