And here's the second part, just as long as the first but more intense.
The next story will be much shorter, to balance things out a bit. I try to vary my stories to please everyone, with different themes, sizes and registers.
Thank you to those who take the time to read my work! It means a lot to me.
Competitive day - Part 2
The next morning, Cinder and Bowser Junior reached a huge hangar not far from the kingdom's western gate. The strong smell of grease was the first thing that caught their attention as they made their way cautiously through the imposing hall, where crates overflowing with spare parts were stored. Platforms encircling the giant warehouse allowed the mechanic monkeys to move about without constraint or disturbance, as the track filled up over time. Everyone was at his post. Traffic was kept moving by signal monkeys, who used colored sticks to guide the karts ready for the start. They wore headphones to keep out the noise of all those engines in such a poorly soundproofed place.
Vehicles under construction were suspended overhead by cables pulled by large yellow cranes that moved them from one stand to another on either side of the hangar. Design was carried out on highly original interactive dashboards, then monkeys fetched the parts from the crates to the welders, who reproduced the carefully chosen models identically. Last but not least, the casting process was carried out with a spray gun in a separate area to avoid toxic inhalation.
It was all perfectly executed in a precise order that left Cinder literally speechless, fascinated by this unrivalled coordination she had seen nowhere else. Everything had been orchestrated to perfection, so as not to waste a single precious second on the busy schedule. The karts and motorcycles paraded in front of them, waiting on the wide track for the kick-off so eagerly awaited by the many competitors. Absorbed by her surroundings, Cinder was startled backwards when a monkey passed her with a quick apology. His arms laden with new tires, which he carried towards an alcove where his teammate was waiting. Apparently nervous, he kept looking at the watch on his wrist. Mechanics swarmed everywhere, busying themselves with their respective tasks, and the hubbub produced by all these voices together was almost dizzying! It was lively, and above all, impressive. She didn't even know which way to turn until she realized that someone was missing next to her.
"Junior?" Cinder called with a touch of anxiety at the absence of the little turtle.
Yet he had been there only a second ago! How could he have disappeared from their sight so quickly? The realization that he was indeed no longer with her set her heart racing as her worried gaze scanned every monkey for the vanished Prince Koopa. Only to find that he was only a few meters away from her, chatting with a mechanic... Sitting on a tire, the big monkey turned his wrench to tighten the bolts on a kart frame while Junior shook a piece of paper in the air. A sheet she recognized as the sketch they'd chosen to be the one they'd model. In outline. Resting her hands on her hips with her head bent, Cinder raised an eyebrow at the Koopa, who was demanding the monkey's attention by insisting that he wanted a kart exactly like it. Specifically with jet engines, a bomb launcher, glider wings, a Bowser head on the front, a flamethrower and a portable harrow... Nothing else.
Cinder looked up at the high ceiling with an ironic shake of her head. He didn't lack nerve, that one! One thing was for sure, he wasn't shy, for no one intimidated the reckless little fellow. Not even creatures bigger and more imposing than him. Moving a lock of her red hair behind her ear, the young woman patted her other hand on her clothing to remove the invisible dust before taking a decisive step in search of the little tornado named Junior. Earlier that morning, she had abandoned her dress and crown for an orange and black jumpsuit specially designed for the event. Something she'd never worn before in her life, but which she had to admit was rather comfortable. It changed her life!
"I want this kart, not another one! It has to be exactly this shape with the same customization options. I want this one! Non-negotiable. And I want it right now! Otherwise-" About to express his threat by including his father, Bowser Junior was abruptly cut off by the mechanic.
"Or else what?" The latter exasperated, abandoning his task to glare at the insolent little guy who was disturbing him in the middle of his work. For an impossible kart, no less! Adopting a more intimidating posture, the monkey squinted in warning when the bandana-wearing Koopa raised his finger to speak again. Except he was interrupted.
In extremis.
"Junior! Don't walk away like that!" Cinder shouted, grabbing his shoulders and pulling him away from the irritated monkey. Still shaken by her brief fright, the young woman examined the turtle to make sure he was all right. Even if it was only a matter of seconds of inadvertence.
"It's okay, I'm fine..." Junior gagged in a small voice, chin down and shoulders slumped in disappointment. His drawing touched the ground as he played with his foot, which he suddenly found much more interesting. He didn't like being told no! He hated it... But this monkey had done it, and without restraint! Pouting, he suddenly felt his mama's fingers under his chin, forcing him to lift his head and look at her. An affectionate smile was drawn across her sweet face.
"We'll get our kart, don't worry. But you have to understand that in a race like this, there are rules, and we can't do what we want. Certain accessories can't be attached to our car because they ... Are dangerous. Unsuitable." The human hesitated, searching for words. Kneeling in front of the drooping-looking turtle, she tried to catch his elusive gaze; "but I'm sure we'll have the best kart regardless. I'm confident you'll come up with something extraordinary without all these tricks."
"Can we at least put in a reactor?" Junior suddenly asked, his little black eyes shining in the hope that she would agree. Clutching his crumpled sketch to his chest, his muzzle stretched into an excited smile as she began to ponder his suggestion. She looked up from a finger to her lips, knowing that expression usually meant yes.
"Mhm, why don't we go and see what can be done? I think it's our turn." Cinder indicated, turning the demoralized Koopa towards the terminals that served as vehicle designs. One of these was now available after a participating monkey validated his order.
Working a little like a casino terminal, three windows displayed the parts open to customization. On the left were the parachutes and gliders, in the middle the bodywork and on the right the wheels. The two rotated the three mechanisms to the accompaniment of an amusing melody until they found the perfect balance between speed, acceleration and handling. Keeping Junior happy was no easy task... Far from it. Between his guns, spikes and jet engines, it was hard to convince him to take what was available for this race. Compromises were found, and after pressing the button to validate their customization, they watched the monkey at the controls activate to create their vehicle. They couldn't wait to see their finished quad! Their eyes sparkled with delight as the paint was applied to the whole central part of the quad. Orange, black and green, a reminder of their color scheme, with a brand-new logo featuring Junior's face with his powder puff.
"Deadly!" He shouted with a mad chuckle. Cinder chuckled back at this uncharacteristic laugh, and suddenly heard someone calling behind his back.
"Cinder!" Cried the voice she knew so well.
"Princess Peach! You here?" She replied immediately as she turned back to the blonde-haired, big-blue-eyed human waving at her from afar. Already dressed in her white and pink motorcycle suit, she had tied her hair back to free her pretty face. The two young women quickly met in the center of the hangar and embraced each other in a warm hug. Peach took advantage of this hug to also tie the redhead's hair back in a ponytail to free her face for better visibility. With a hand on her shoulder, she expressed her gratitude.
"I'm so happy you're one of my competitors! I came all the way to the Jungle Kingdom wondering who I'd be racing with, and here I come across you making your own vehicle! If it isn't a twist of fate. How wonderful!" The princess enthused, clapping her gloved hands in delight at seeing Cinder among the participants.
"Shared pleasure! I'm sure we'll have an incredible time." Agreed the red-haired human with a smile that kept growing to mimic Peach's.
"Mama and I are here to win! We don't care about anything else." Bowser Jr suddenly made his presence known, thumb pointed at his chest with a fearsome expression. The blonde laughed.
"Still going strong, I see." She remarked humorously, placing her hand on her hip with a look of admiration at the little Koopa, who was undaunted by the difficulty of the ordeal that awaited them all. He wasn't afraid, that was for sure! His will to win was admirable. He and his mama exchanged a knowing glance, before another shrill voice spoke joyfully alongside Mario and Luigi.
"Cinder, eh oh! This way!" Toad shook his hand vigorously in the air, while the mustachioed brothers merely smiled at the two women. Running like mad towards them, the talking mushroom dropped his bag with a loud thud and started dancing.
"We're off on a new adventure! Dah-dah dah! Dee-dee-dee dah! Yep, the crack team is in!" Toad sang with glee, flapping his fingers from side to side. His good mood made Peach and Cinder laugh, but not so much Junior, who merely grunted in annoyance. The mushroom calmed down, then resumed his short singing demonstration.
"Hi Cinder, hi miniature Bowser. How are you guys doing? So, you two are a team?" He questioned as he passed his gaze from Cinder to the Koopa of his size who adamantly refused to look him in the eye, arms crossed.
"We're going to team up, yes. We know all about games. And we're determined to win!" With a firm nod, the Queen of the Koopas clenched her fist as Toad plunged into a long monologue about the strategy he'd put in place all the previous night. Seemingly tireless, such was his excitement. Next to him, Mario shrugged, followed by a dejected sigh.
"Here we go again... We've had this all morning. It never stops. I feel like my head's going to explode!" He groaned as he put his hands to his head, eyes squinting and teeth clenched at the throbbing pain in his temples. Toad was his close friend, but he never stopped talking! And this from the very first light of morning. Luigi scratched the back of his head with an embarrassed grimace before finally speaking after some hesitation, Toad continuing his incessant babbling without ever realizing that nobody was listening.
"And you, who are your teammates? I wasn't allowed to choose mine and ... I must say I'm a little worried." He laughed nervously as he looked at Princess Peach, to whom he gave an awkward smile. Of course, he knew that no one was allowed to choose, but he really wanted to participate in this race with his brother to show what they could do together.
"Luigi and I will be the best team! Once on the track, we'll be unbeatable." Encouraged Peach, who clenched her fist in determination to try and motivate her teammate in cruel lack of confidence.
"I'm teaming up with the giant monkey." Mario serenely replied, using the affectionate nickname of his long-time friend Donkey Kong.
"We're a team." Cinder drew a strangely silent Junior against her side.
"And I-" Taking a deep breath, Toad opened his mouth to give his teammate's name, but a scream prevented him from finishing.
"What the hell is that thing? It doesn't look like much. What are those miniature wheels?! And where's the motor? Even slugs are faster than this ugly machine!" Grumbled a second, deep-voiced Toad standing next to a strange vehicle curiously resembling a stroller. A sporty stroller... The fists on his hips, his black spiked jacket, gold jewelry and notched shoes were a welcome change from the usual appearance of the other, much more smiling Toads.
"Hi bro! I'm here! Don't worry, I'll be right there." Toad called cheerfully with a big shake of his hand to his brother as he circled their vehicle, which was obviously not to his liking. Now that was rather surprising... However at the puzzled looks of the humans, he leaned towards them for a little more discretion, his hand next to his mouth; "looks like Tyty's not too happy. I'd better go and see him before the race starts. See you guys!"
"Uh..." Peach hesitated as Toad turned then ran swiftly in the direction of his grumpy brother.
"Huston, I think we have a problem. At least he went to the trouble, poor Toad ..." Mario commented as he watched the scowling metalhead Toad stare at the original vehicle, his gaze lingering for a moment at the scar on his hat. An irritation that became more obvious the moment his brother reached him to ask what was making him so angry.
"He looks ... Charming." Confused, the princess in the pink and white jumpsuit shrugged before glancing uncertainly at Cinder. She loved all her Toads, whom she considered her children, but this one had a peculiar appearance that reminded her of someone she hated with a passion... And that someone just happened to be married to her silent friend. She made a little noise of disgust at the image.
Was she supposed to say something? Cinder knew who Terry the Terrible was, but reconsidering the fact that he was under Bowser's orders, she wasn't about to blow his cover. And even less prepared to take her husband's admonition if he found out. For if he was there, it was probably for a good reason, right? As Bowser's most loyal spy and first informant, Cinder suspected there was a reason for his presence and that if he'd been invited to this competition, it was because he had good contacts with the Jungle Kingdom. No, she wasn't ready to betray anyone. As much as she respected the Princess, she'd rather lie to her than go against her husband. As long as Terry wasn't hurting anyone, she simply didn't see the point.
Perhaps he was there just for fun after all?
"You put me to shame!"
"But Tyty, I thought you'd enjoy driving a replica of our stroller! Remember when we were little? You loved long walks! With your cute little pacifier."
"Please, tell me there's a built-in ejector seat ..."
"Uh? Why would there be?"
"I'm going to explode..."
Or maybe not.
The four humans laughed at the lively discussion between the two Toads a little further on. It was clear that they didn't get on very well... Nevertheless, they applauded Toad's efforts to please his brother. Terry was by nature much more solitary and serious than his companions. This unsettled Peach, who was unaccustomed to such strong personalities. But not being there to investigate or pass judgment, they rejoined the track after the commentator had called the participants to their vehicles for the start. The tension was at its peak on the home stretch. Cinder chased Bowser Jr between the karts and other motorcycles to reach their magnificent "death-defying" quad, in the words of Koopa to the left of the main gate. A digital panel counted down the remaining minutes.
Most of the vehicles were used by monkeys, but there was also a Shy Guy with another unknown purple creature, a small white star with a brown-haired young woman in a yellow jumpsuit and her friends already in place.
Peach and Luigi on a pink motorcycle, Mario and Donkey Kong on a large red and green kart, and Toad and Terry in their adorable blue, red and gold stroller. Junior quickly settled into the back seat of the quad without even trying to negotiate to take the wheel, catching Cinder unawares. Wait a minute, she was supposed to be driving this thing? The realization hit her like a ton of bricks. Wide-eyed, the young woman looked between the pedals and Bowser Jr who motioned for her to sit in the front seat. However, she took a few steps back as fear gripped her racing heart, having never driven a car before. She'd never been behind the wheel in her life! She didn't know this type of vehicle, nor the techniques involved in driving it. What if they crashed? What if she lost control? As she questioned herself, Bowser Junior lost patience, until he exclaimed to get Cinder's attention.
"You can do it! Remember my driving lessons with the clown ships, well, this is exactly the same. Except instead of propellers, you've got four wheels. You just worry about staying on the track, and I'll take care of the rest!" He revealed after pulling out a pair of aviator goggles from nowhere to place them over his little black eyes with a mischievous grin.
"Okay, you're right. It's easy! I know how to drive. I know how to drive ... I learned how to drive." Cinder repeated with a deep inhalation to calm her nerves.
Grabbing the handlebars with a shaky but firm hand, she straddled the quad's saddle to settle herself properly on the pedals. She immediately felt the vibration of excitement run through her. This was it, they were on the track. Nervous as she was, she glanced from side to side, watching the other competitors waiting impatiently for the hangar to open. Most of the monkeys were watching them, whispering to each other and staring at them, especially the young Koopa who was the source of their worries. She could feel all the disapproving looks on their faces, but she didn't let them throw her off balance, because they were there to participate and most of all to have fun. To show that they were perfectly capable of playing without causing a ruckus! Her eyebrows furrowed at the low masses around them, she turned the rear-view mirror to look at Junior in the back seat, who was paying absolutely no attention to the other indiscreet participants. He was too busy checking out his banana cannon and the only reactor he'd been allowed to install.
It was time to destroy all these prejudices.
The beep at the end of the allotted time sounded in the hall, and then the gigantic door slid open to reveal the rest of the track up to the starting line several meters ahead. Engines roared to life as the twenty stationary vehicles raced towards the line. After only a few small zigzags and a masterful stall, Cinder managed to figure out how to operate the quad bike and move forward alongside Mario and Donkey Kong. Peach and Luigi on the other side. Nervous, she tightened her fingers around the handlebars after a sweaty breath that fogged the visor of her helmet but didn't prevent her from keeping up the pace between the other two vehicles at the same speed. It was just a matter of getting used to it, as Junior had told her earlier. It was a good thing he'd given her clown ship flying lessons! Now she could see the point.
"Hi Daddy! Look at me, I'm here! Give me a kiss! I'll do anything to make you proud!" Shouted Donkey Kong behind Mario after spotting his dad in the imperial bleachers. Sitting high up with his bravest warriors, Cranky Kong sipped his favorite cocktail, using his right foot as a hand. Slumped in his colorful seat, enjoying the breeze of a banana leaf fan he looked down at his son, who was waving to him from below.
"Haha, what a big baby!" Junior sneered at the monkey making a spectacle of himself. Flat screens were mounted on large wooden pillars, showing the progress of the race and its participants live. And he saw himself through one of them, which stole a pretentious little smile from him.
He was a star!
"Are you talking to me, runt? Don't forget I've got my eye on you. And I'm not gonna let you out of my sight!" Donkey Kong called back, placing two fingers in front of his eyes before pointing them at the Koopa behind Cinder.
"Watch out you don't lose your pacifier on the road." The insolent Bowser Jr added another layer, happy to annoy the easily irritated icon of the Jungle Kingdom. Bingo!
"It sucked. You're a big loser!" Donkey Kong repeated after a brief reflection. In front of him, Mario sighed before muttering something unintelligible that sounded like; "and here we go again."
"Smelly monkey." Then came the next insult.
"Clam head!" The big monkey wasn't intimidated by a child.
"You..." Junior's voice trailed off as he caught Cinder's warning glance through the quad's right rearview mirror, forcing him to change the end of his sentence at the last moment; "Potato!"
"Bwah! Potato yourself! You'll never win this race! It's a good guy's thing. Plus, you're three apples high, you're too pathetic." Now amused, Donkey Kong settled more comfortably into his back seat to make his pecs dance in victory when Bowser Junior's cheeks turned red with anger.
"I'm going to tell Dad! Then he'll crush you and your stinking friends! There's no one stronger than him in the whole universe, and even more! You're no match for him!" He defended furiously.
"Wait, are you talking about the big guy I beat up last time? Him?" DK chuckled at the memory of that memorable fight, which had left a nice scar on his shoulder. He crossed his arms behind his head with a playful smile, but fell silent the moment the lava-haired human spoke.
"That's enough, boys! Please! This is getting us nowhere. This race is for everyone, so let's learn to get along and above all be fair." Cinder anticipated the monkey with the tie to it before he said anything else that might hurt Prince Koopa's already wounded pride. The last thing he needed was to make a scene just because he hadn't had the last word, and that really wasn't something she'd like to have to deal with today.
"She's right. We're here to have fun!" Peach supported from the other side, Luigi firmly holding the saddle in one hand and his cap in the other.
"Okay, okay, I apologize if I was out of line. No hard feelings then, kid?" Donkey Kong offered, leaning towards the sulky turtle on the back of the quad. At his lack of reaction, he waved his unibrow in an attempt to make him laugh.
"Humph! Not even in my dreams." Junior flatly refused. Arms crossed and lips pursed, he ignored the monkey who was trying to make a truce with him and instead put his menacing bandana on his snout.
"Hey, why are you sulking, buddies? It's an adventure! We need to relax." Exclaimed a certain Toad as he caught up with the little group on the left side of the track. He zigzagged behind the wheel of his stroller, which hadn't done anyone any favors, without worrying about Terry who was trying to keep from falling out of his seat with every sharp turn of his brother's wheel.
"I feel nothing." Said the latter without emotion.
"Hey! That's my slogan!" Shouted Toad in outrage as he swung his steering wheel, almost crashing into Mario's kart.
"Wow! Mama mia!" The mustachioed man quickly regained control of his vehicle before a chain accident occurred just before the start. It was a close call... His hands nearly ripped from the steering wheel in fear, he cast an alarmed glance at the two Toads, who were a real danger on the road.
"Mario?" Worried his brother, his eyes covered by his gloved hands so as not to see the disaster.
"Still alive!" Toad replied in place of his shocked best friend in overalls. However, Peach decided to intervene before crossing the starting line to make one last announcement.
"Full steam ahead! For the biggest race of the year! And may the best win!" She exclaimed with a fist in the air and a big smile to motivate everyone, her pink bandana fluttering in the wind. She vaguely heard Luigi ask her to keep both hands on the handlebars before stepping on the gas to reach that line flown over by a Lakitu in his white cloud acting as referee. He was one of the only Koopa allowed at this event.
3, 2, 1 ... GO!
All the vehicles sped off to the start. The spectators in the stands roared with euphoria at the start of what promised to be an unforgettable race. At full throttle, the motorcycles sped between the karts and other colourfully original machines on a track that first went all the way round the village before disappearing into the dense jungle vegetation. Closely followed by the Lakitu, which filmed the participants' progress where the fixed cameras couldn't capture the crunchy moments for the public. The din produced by all those engines was deafening, a delightful melody to the ears of those who revered races like this. Not least Cranky Kong, who had voluntarily decided not to take part because he already proclaimed himself to be the best driver of all time. A title no one dared challenge! Not even his own son.
"I can't wait to see how they do. They have a new reputation to defend. I hope I won't be disappointed, I hate being disappointed!" Cranky Kong grunted with a nonchalant sigh, obviously referring to Cinder and Bowser Junior. He wasn't talking to anyone in particular, but his questions were multiplying as time passed without anything untoward happening. Their ordeal wasn't over yet, though, and so far it had been flawless!
"Impressive. Everything seems to be running smoothly. No overflow or surprise visits. It's almost disappointing..." Running his foot through his white beard, the old monkey looked boredly at the flat screens where the contestants' faces were displayed individually in small boxes. He was particularly focused on the duo Cinder/Junior.
"Let them show me what they can do." Thoughtfully, he began to imitate the young woman's contagious smile on the screen without even realizing it.
What they were capable of to destroy the bad reputation forged by a power-hungry Bowser. How determined they were to change people's minds about the Koopa race, which had been unpopular because of a turf war led by a tyrant. He had watched them in secret last night. He had seen how close they were, how Cinder influenced young Bowser Jr with his natural benevolence. The trust of the Jungle Kingdom was at stake on this track, and a lot of weight was resting on her shoulders. She knew it, so now was the time to give it his all and show everyone what he'd seen. A change. The bearded monkey looked up from his goggles to watch the stopwatch slowly, almost lazily, ticking away as the noisy machines competed for the top spots below.
They were about to earn his respect.
For her part, Cinder was trying as best she could to make her way through the dozens of vehicles blocking her path. As the track was mostly made of a mixture of dust and earth, clouds formed at every turn, making visibility difficult. Nevertheless, she managed to overtake the four monkeys and head straight for the young woman in the yellow suit. The little white Luma on her back warned her of her imminent arrival, allowing her to change the rotation of her tires and take the path along the temple wall in the hope of outrunning them. Behind her back, Cinder felt Junior tap her on the shoulder and ask her to follow, as he had an idea. From his tone, he was very excited about this idea. However, she obeyed him without question, surprised to see that her wheels were changing direction to follow the curve of the stone wall.
"BANANAS CANNON! PEW PEW PEW!" The Koopa shouted after turning his big, darling cannon to shoot over Cinder on the vertical track. They weren't allowed to throw anything else anyway, but it was great fun all the same!
"Bwahouuu!" The Luma taunted as the bananas were dodged by his very skilled teammate on a motorcycle. Pulling back his lower eyelid in mockery, the star spun around before retrieving his own banana and swinging it directly at Junior's face.
"Ouch!" Startled by this retort, Bowser Jr nearly stumbled from his seat had he not grabbed his cannon with his tail. Cheeks puffing out in frustration, he tossed the banana peel aside. This destabilized the kart that was trying to overtake them on the left.
"Bwah hahaha! Did you see that? Hey, did you see that? Bull's-eye!" The latter was delighted and slapped his buttocks in provocation.
"A master stroke!" Cinder congratulated with a chuckle after checking with him over her shoulder.
Through the jungle, it was a completely different ordeal for the novice participants left to their own devices. The monkeys and regulars were familiar with this area, but not Mario, Luigi, Cinder and Bowser Junior, who were discovering this steep track for the very first time. Between trees, rocks and other obstacles, they were driving completely blind. They were forced to follow those who had already taken part in a race in the past, so as not to be fooled by the terrain. Barrels bearing Donkey Kong's initials were placed at strategic points to force racers to use much tighter passages, impossible for two people to negotiate. Those who made unfortunate contact with one of these famous barrels lost their speed and were showered with old banana peels. Disgusting... But advantageous!
Cinder and Junior passed quickly between two vehicles and then onto a remote track where the vegetation blocked out the sunlight, forcing them to steer by the light of their headlights alone. It couldn't have been a more stressful situation! To have to guide yourself by instinct on an unknown trail in the middle of a capricious jungle. Leaning over her shoulder, the little turtle on the lookout told Cinder which path to take, trying to rejoin the main track somewhere to the right. They could hear vehicles and shouts from this side. Rolling over vines, upturned tree trunks and piles of dead leaves, the two skidded masterfully to gain a super speed boost to enable them to join the others.
"This way to the shortcut! Mwahahahaha! Ya-ho, here come the extra seats!" Junior enthused as he realized that they'd gained five spots by taking this shortcut. Now they were rubbing shoulders with Mario and Donkey Kong.
"Well then, not too scared? What are you doing here? Losers are normally in the back!" Scoffed the monkey busy throwing bananas in the wake of the kart driven by the focused mustachioed man.
"What do you want, nobody resists us!" Cinder replied with an amused smile, prompting the Koopa to come forward.
"If you want to win, you'll have to get rid of me first! Too bad, no chance!" Junior chuckled rudely, reloading his massive banana cannon at the same time. He didn't have much ammunition left, but he was going to use it on Mario and Donkey Kong to give them a good thrashing. For his father's sake!
"I don't think so!" Wanting to win at all costs, Mario frowned with a determined smile as he stepped on the gas pedal to put some distance between himself and the duo. Except that at that very moment, a rather high-pitched howl sounded behind them.
"STOP! Slow down, slow down! My head is spinning! I'm going to puke! You're driving like a fool!" Terry yelled as he felt his hindquarters lift off the seat of the motorized stroller. Grabbing onto anything he could find with all his might, he gritted his teeth as his hated brother performed several more or less controlled skids between trees, rollovers and other vehicles without worrying for a moment about causing a pile-up. They collided violently with a kart which was propelled across the road, over roots and around Bowser Jr and Cinder.
"Woo-hoo this is soooo good!" Toad was completely ecstatic behind the wheel of his beloved stroller. Unstoppable! Eyes sparkling with happiness and an inordinately big smile, he randomly changed his trajectory to try and acquire new boosts.
"Behind you ... In front of you!" He chuckled as he effortlessly overtook Mario and Donkey Kong, both mouths agape at his totally improvised acceleration. And all this in a ridiculous stroller! What kind of trick was that? They couldn't believe it.
"Do you hear that? That's the sound of defeat! Next time, Mario! See you at the finish line." Teased Toad, who was pulling further and further behind them, soon to find himself alongside Princess Peach and Luigi currently in fourth place.
What did Luigi and Terry have in common? They were both scared to death.
"It's not quite what I expected..." Mario admitted loud enough to be heard over the noise. He really thought that the kart he'd chosen with DK was going to be the best and most powerful of all! So he was a little disappointed to have been overtaken by a mere stroller. But at Cinder's laugh, he turned his head to smile shyly at her.
"Me neither! But it's so much fun. Come on, we can do it! The important thing is to participate." She said enthusiastically, enough to warm the heart of the mustachioed man in overalls.
"And especially to win against that big talking banana." Junior quickly added in a lazy tone, hiding his victorious smile behind his bandana at the hairy banana's reaction.
"What? Where?" Immediately, Donkey Kong turned around to search with his eyes where that famous big banana was. He didn't know bananas could drive!
"You're the banana who's going to lose!" Bowser Junior taunted at the big monkey in the tie, who could think of nothing but satisfying his appetite. One more thing they had in common.
"The race isn't over yet! I haven't used my secret weapon." The latter crooned after triturating his rocket-shaped backup reactor with an ironic raise of his eyebrows; "nothing's lost. We'll show them what bolts our kart is made of!"
"Huh?" Worried about the meaning of this expression, Mario arched an eyebrow.
"You have no chance against MY reactor!" Bowser Jr straightened up in his seat to imitate the monkey in the preparation of the reactor usable only once during the race and only for five seconds. With his puff floating in the wind, he squinted behind his aviator goggles as he quickly pressed a series of buttons to activate his reactor at the same time as the neighboring kart.
"Full steam ahead!" Donkey Kong laughed after pressing his fist on the main red button.
Meanwhile, somewhere between the green hills outside the ramparts of the Jungle Kingdom, a shadow loomed among the trees. A very famous, menacing shadow. Holding a pair of binoculars to his squinted eyes, the King of the Koopas watched intently as the race unfolded below on the endless track. His gaze followed every move of a specific vehicle from the start. He tapped his claw on his binoculars in anticipation as the duo disappeared from view, only to reappear further down the road after emerging from the jungle. They had just crossed the finish line to start the second lap, still alongside Mario and Donkey Kong, sixth and seventh respectively. His son Junior had enabled Cinder to recover two more precious places thanks to his reactor, but unfortunately, his rival had had the same idea... You'd think he spent most of his time copying his son's genius ideas! Nothing but a cheater with a lack of imagination.
Ruminating on his annoyance, the giant Koopa frowned as he saw Donkey Kong perform a check with Junior before realizing that his wife was laughing with the dungaree-wearing idiot. His blood ran cold. She was laughing with his greatest rival?! Zooming in to be sure of what he'd just seen, a guttural growl escaped him when he had confirmation that his eyes weren't playing tricks on him. The image immediately haunted him as a huge pressure formed in his chest. Something spread rapidly through his belly until it reached his cheeks, which suddenly became much hotter under the tension, his scaly skin shivering at the breeze that blew between the hills. He was hot. With his hair blowing in the wind, the large, seething turtle lingered a little longer on the two side-by-side vehicles, as if to convince himself that he was hallucinating.
That was the last straw.
"You've just signed your death warrant, Mario." Bowser snarled through gritted teeth, his eyes glowing red with anger as he stared at the mustachioed figure laughing innocently with his wife. He couldn't help it, he had to get that filthy caped midget to walk with every pretty girl he came across! And especially the one he was so madly in love with, as if on purpose.
"You look like you're angry." Kamek watches quietly behind him.
"And you're surprised?!" He roared back in his face, his abrupt reaction nearly causing him to lose his own binoculars in a frightened high-pitched squeal. Cowering in on himself, the magician felt his legs wobble as he spontaneously covered his head with his binoculars. Just in case his Master decided to unleash his devastating wrath on him!
"But Sir, they're winning, isn't that a good thing?" Kamek remarked in a small, fearful voice after straightening his glasses to look at the angry turtle for some reason. Wasn't he happy with their trip? But he ignored him, far too absorbed by his potentially dangerous rival for his plans.
"It's not going to be like that." Furious and above all jealous, Bowser abruptly tightened his grip on his binoculars until he heard a small creak before turning to his faithful winged general.
"Release the Koopalings! All on the track and bring me the cup!" He commanded with one claw extended towards the track below. The violent vibrations of his deep voice sent a shiver of fear down the spine of the Magikoopa beside him, who began to giggle with excitement. Under no circumstances was Mario to win the cup! He was going to see to that personally.
"Release the Koopalings!" Repeated the blue-shelled Koopa, signaling his guards to move quickly into action so as not to add more fuel to the fire. They were eager to make their displeasure known after hours of keeping a low profile! And to get the cup back, too.
"Yee-Haw! Here we go!" Ludwig exclaimed in his little accent while throwing his fist forward as he hurriedly began the descent with his teammates. Ready to fight.
"It's up to us!" Morton performed an impressive drift between the rocks until landing on the runway behind some startled monkeys. Horrified at the sight of them, they swerved wildly until they went completely off the runway and crashed into nearby trees, allowing the Koopalings to make their way much more easily.
Ludwig with Larry, Morton and Wendy, then Roy in trio with Lemmy and Iggy on the biggest vehicle of the bunch. Silver and black with large spikes running the length of the body, their frightening karts didn't go unnoticed by the audience or the stunned participants. The cameras were now all focused on them. It was impossible not to see the Bowser emblem proudly worn on the front as they jostled everyone out of their way to grab any late spots. First place was their only objective. Iggy took the opportunity to use his shell cannon to aim at every competitor they passed with insane laughter, while Lemmy pulled out bombs and threw them randomly onto the track. Chaos quickly ensued. Between explosions, skirmishes, and low blows, their presence soon became apparent to those at the front of the previously unharmed procession.
"Oh oh, Daddy's in. Don't stop! Keep going! Keep your eyes on the road." Junior motivated, grabbing Cinder's shoulders so she wouldn't turn around. Anxiously, he glanced at the Koopalings who were getting dangerously close to their position, pushing aside anyone in their path. He growled, "No way! That cup is mine!"
No sooner said than done, he turned his banana cannon in their direction, trying to destabilize their trajectory. Morton and Wendy on one side, Ludwig and Larry on the other, the four of them laughed devilishly as they dodged all those bananas thrown at them with relative ease. Laughing at Bowser Junior with several silly giggles, one of them wanted to throw a red shell, but at the same time Peach charged at them with a war cry. Morton and Wendy spun around several times before falling into a small ravine, putting them out of the competition for good. Once in the Kong temple passageway, the princess hurried to Cinder to ask if everything was all right, but was surprised by the diabolical trio of Roy, Lemmy and Iggy. Glowering at them in turn, she quickly took to the wall in the hope of warding them off.
"Oh no, no no no! They're going to make us have an accident! Don't touch me!" Luigi panicked as he approached the evil kart that had taken the same road as them. With the three of them now glued to the bike at full speed, he closed his eyes as he threw his hands randomly at Iggy to fend him off as he tried to knock him off the saddle.
If the situation weren't so dramatic, this scene would be rather comical to watch.
"Cinder! Look, we're almost there!" Junior shouted in relief when he saw the finish line just a few meters from their position, and they were first! Peach and Luigi in second and then the trio of Koopalings just trying to get in their way. No pun intended.
"Hey look out!" Donkey Kong alerted the moment he and Mario caught up to see that Larry was about to drop a bomb on them.
Unfortunately, they arrived too late as the bomb was thrown into the air and exploded just in front of Cinder and Bowser Jr's quad, unable to dodge it in time. The blast caused them to lose control of the vehicle, which made several uncontrollable zigzags before Cinder managed to bring it to a complete stop on the side of the road. It was a close call... With clammy hands and erratic breathing, she turned her wide eyes to the little Koopa to make sure he was all right after this emergency stop. Junior's head was spinning, but other than that, he was fine. Seeing all this, Mario and Donkey Kong stopped a few yards away and then hurriedly got out of their karts to make sure they hadn't broken anything. Fortunately, the bomb hadn't caused any injuries, but its explosion had spread fire to the surrounding area ... Destroying trees and the finish line sign, and finally reaching the nearest shed.
It was a terrible chain reaction, and Donkey Kong was reacted quickly, fetching water from the nearest stream to extinguish the flames. The last thing he wanted was for the flames to spread to the village! If they did, he risked disappearing in a huge, uncontrollable blaze. No way! Mario hurried away from Cinder and Junior just before the vehicle burst into flames and exploded in front of the stunned faces of the participants, who were forced to stop. Permanently blocking the road to the end of the race.
"The competition is officially cancelled! I repeat, the competition is cancelled. The winning duo is disqualified." Announced the Lakitu on his cloud, shaking his hand in front of his face at all the smoke.
"What?! But that's not fair!" Larry and Ludwig complained from the other side of the finish line. They'd crossed the line before everyone else! They were therefore the big winners. They cowered, however, as a growing angry crowd formed around them.
"Cheating!"
"Bweeeeeeeh!"
"It's a scandal!"
"Aren't you ashamed?"
"Drive them out of our city!"
"They don't belong here!"
Peach and Luigi got off their motorcycle to join the others, surrounded by indignant monkeys demanding their exclusion. This was not a good sign at all... Fists raised in demand for justice, the tension was at its height as Donkey Kong and Mario did their utmost to extinguish the flames before they spread throughout the jungle. The princess did her best to make the villagers see reason by trying to push them back, but they were all stubborn, outraged. Taking Junior instinctively in her arms to protect him, Cinder looked at all those angry faces where she could see disgust and disappointment. She was beginning to fear them, but fortunately Cranky Kong decided to intervene just then. Just before the situation got completely out of hand. Carried in his colorful palanquin, the old Monkey King slowly descended with the help of a guard to calm the frenzied population.
"Calm down, calm down! That's enough now. The competition's been cancelled, there's no point in getting worked up." Irritated by the crowd, Cranky Kong raised his cane to make himself heard by his deaf people. Some argued, others grumbled, but the majority scattered in disappointment. It had never happened before that their King had decided to cancel everything! A first that no one here approved of.
"I'm truly sorry... We failed." Cinder sniffled sadly as she knelt on the dusty floor with the Koopa held preciously in her arms. Her face drooping and on the verge of tears, the young woman didn't dare look the King in the eye for fear of finding the same thing in him as the villagers. A mixture of hatred and resentment. This failure weighed heavily on her conscience, so she was surprised when Cranky Kong spoke with a touch of admiration in his voice.
"No, you succeeded. Well, in a way." He nodded calmly with a thoughtful smile as he clasped his hands together on his golden staff. He waited for the human to look up in disbelief before continuing in the same tone.
"I usually only congratulate my son, but your cooperation was remarkable. The bond between you is strong. It allowed you to come in first place without any of the cheating one might have expected from a certain Koopa known for his bad faith." With an insistent glance at the face-down turtle, he returned to Cinder to see that her face was gradually brightening. He straightened his glasses on his nose; "between the two of you, you've managed to prove that a reputation doesn't determine who and what we are. I congratulate you on your accomplishment. Even if fate, in the form of a brainless brute, decided to intervene at the worst possible moment..."
As he said this with a painful shake of his head, he suddenly felt the earth begin to tremble under the heavy footsteps of the guy he'd been expecting to meet. The big spiny Koopa strode onto the track between the whining Koopalings, claiming injustice after the race was cancelled at the very last second. So close to victory... Pointing the finger at Cranky Kong and the others, Larry and Ludwig accused them of all having cheated to prevent them from reaching the cup after having worked so hard to achieve it. Including, of course, the forbidden bombs and the shell cannons. But King Koopa only had eyes for Mario, who was working alongside Donkey Kong to put out the fire created by his Koopalings. He'd congratulate them on it later, but first he had a few things to take care of and a cup to pick up. Hands on hips with a grunt of disapproval, the huge Koopa glared at Cranky Kong apparently not at all intimidated by him.
"This cup is mine! We won it, it's rightfully ours. Give it to me if you don't want to sleep under the stars tonight." Bowser claimed his due with a provocative little smile, which made the Koopalings behind his back laugh.
"But tell me, what right do you speak of? Oh, the right to leave my kingdom, perhaps?" Cranky Kong questioned, pretending to think with one hand in his beard. Bowser laughed darkly in return.
"Unsurprisingly, resistance. Unfortunately, I'm not patient so give it to me if you don't want to regret it! Then I'll be on my way. It's as simple as that." He tried to negotiate while filing two of his claws with a raised red eyebrow, the little smile persisting at the corner of his muzzle.
"Wait a minute. You just show up at an official competition without an invitation? That's just plain rude. Then you really think I'm going to give you this cup made of solid gold by the finest craftsmen in the land, after what you've done?! After all that circus? Have you by any chance lost your mind along the way?" Cranky Kong looked him up and down in indignation, not sure if he had heard what he was demanding. Still, he didn't let Bowser get a word in edgewise, for he had two words to say as well.
"You can't even go a day without causing trouble! That's why you're never invited. Nobody trusts you. Everywhere you go, you create disorder and chaos." The King deplored as he raised his arm to show the fire and smoke would soon be subdued by his experienced guards. Yes, they were used to the daily excesses of kart crashes, but never during a large-scale event where rigor was the order of the day.
"Two days!" Bowser insisted on the words with two raised claws.
"But we don't care! You're so obsessed with power and control that you didn't even notice how happy your wife and son were! How important it was for them to participate today to prove their worth." Continued the Monkey King in an exasperated tone, pointing to Cinder and Junior a few meters away.
Bowser's glowing gaze shifted for a moment to the duo in question. Cinder was holding a tearful Junior against her, running her hand over his puff in the hope of comforting him. Before he completely fills his aviator goggles. Her face was sad, concerned, all joy drained from her as she searched for a way to soothe the emotional distress of his son devastated by loss. Their abandoned quad after exploding on the side of the road mocking them and what they'd almost managed to accomplish together. This image of them sitting in the dust surrounded by smoke radically changed Bowser's view of the problem and of his own contradictory emotions churning inside him as if he were on a rollercoaster. His eyes became round at the sudden sadness he felt... At the painful pressure in his chest at this despair, this failure of which he had been the main cause.
It was all his fault, he'd been blinded by his anger and absurd jealousy. Again. His selfishness had gotten the better of him instead of trusting them to bring the cup home... Instead of supporting them to succeed, his pride would have been all the greater. The dumpling. Shoulders slumping at this realization that chased away his bitterness, he shamefully lowered his eyes to the ground in search of a solution to fix his mistake while the old monkey watched him with satisfaction. Then as before, he didn't allow the big, obnoxious Koopa to get a word in edgewise, for he still hadn't finished spilling his guts now that he finally had the chance.
"It's disgraceful! Even my son does less capricious things than you do. Do you realize that? You only care about yourself and how you feel. You don't care about anything else. Your egocentricity far exceeds your reason! That is, if reason exists at all. Believe me, it's going to get the better of you in the end. The day will come when all your bad deeds will have consequences. It's hanging over your head, big guy!" He snarled. Shaking his index finger in the Koopa King's pained face, Cranky Kong pushed up his glasses with his fingertips and glared at the turtle who had interfered in the competition. Bowser clenched his fists with a loud gasp at the anger that returned with full force.
He'd just been reprimanded by a demented old monkey... What was the point anyway? He never fixed anything, he just broke it!
"You little insolent ... I don't take morals from a cranky old monkey or anyone else! Is that clear?! I AM King Bowser! You have cruelly disrespected me! I could destroy each and every one of you for your disrespect! Ring out my moment of glory with the chaos that so frightens you. Destroy your ridiculous little kingdom and return you to the cage for the next sacrifice. One last show for the monkeys that you are... During a banquet where I will invite all the greatest scoundrels to feast in my honor." As he expressed his rage, he began to imagine an ideal scenario with a dreamy smile, his hand brushing the air.
"Oh yes, that's an idea. I'll raze every inch of this heavenly village to extend my territory to the ocean's edge. I'll use your throne to cut my toenails! I'll turn this shabby palace into a nursery for my baby piranha plants that will become your worst nightmares! And this time, there'll be no one to save your skin. I'll make sure of that!" Bowser basely grumbled, ending his sentence with a vile grin. His gaze darkening as the ankylosed monkey raised his eyebrows in disbelief at having chosen the word heavenly, whether deliberately or not. Which was rather odd for intimidation...
"You dare to make threats in my own kingdom?!" He wondered.
"Looks like it." Bowser nodded softly without losing his menacing expression, except that his smile disappeared at the old King's unimpressed reply.
"Well, I'd advise you not to try! Admittedly, you managed to get ahead of us on that rainbow road the other time, but I've taken action. You're far too predictable!" He declared wearily as his soldiers surrounded Bowser and the trouble-making Koopalings to prevent them from fleeing. He had suspected that this race would end this way, and he felt horribly disappointed to have been right. It was a real shame it had come to this... After all Cinder's and Junior's efforts to change the monkeys' perception of the Koopas. He sighed in defeat as he rubbed his eyes.
"In accordance with the rules of the competition, I order you to leave the premises. You are banished from the Jungle Kingdom and excluded from future events!" He announced with a snap of his fingers to activate his soldiers. They lowered their mighty clubs towards Bowser and the Koopalings, clutching each other in fear to force them to cooperate without having to use force. Cranky Kong sighed again, then threw his hand in the direction of the exit; "Escort them to the gates so I can't see them."
"Koopalings, Cinder, Junior, fall back!" Bowser firmly dictated. His ego stung, but unable to compete with all those heavily armed soldiers. He hadn't come here to start a war, but it was just around the corner! Tensions were almost palpable between their two peoples. One day, he'll be back with a bigger army to wipe that little smile off Cranky Kong's face!
Yes, one day when his military might is greater than his own, he won't be so smart with him.
Cinder continued to support the sniffling little Koopa as she anxiously watched the escort take her angry husband out of the Jungle Kingdom. She hadn't missed his pained look, let alone his words, behind which lay a real uneasiness. Was she the only one to see it? To see what was hiding inside that tough shell? That all he wanted was a chance to prove he'd improved, and that he was perfectly capable of playing games without causing trouble... Bowser had always found it hard to express himself, to make his emotions clear, and often this inability turned into frustration or even verbal or physical violence. It was such a pity that he couldn't control his anger, which did him more harm than good, before hurting others.
Cinder remained convinced that he wasn't doing it on purpose, that he just didn't know how to deal with the reputation that had stuck to him since birth. She knew him better than anyone by now, and he wasn't who he said he was. At least not always. Yet she was doing her best to help him destroy this image, but if no one ever made the effort, then this endless loop would never be broken and the bad judgments would continue. But she had to start by building trust! Which wasn't his strong point either. Everything was so complicated and delicate. Saddened by the turn of events, the woman tightened her arms around Junior as she gazed sadly at the shadow of the dejected but dignified King Koopa.
Later that evening, after everyone had returned to the safety of the floating castle, Bowser remained locked away in his not-so-secret secret room. Moping about what had happened. Wondering why everyone hated him when all he wanted was to have fun with others. Something he'd never dare admit at the risk of jeopardizing his precious reputation as a big bully! But he really wanted to. Yes, he'd have entered the competition to win the cup at any cost, but he'd have done it with pleasure and according to the rules as the Monkey King so dearly wanted. Nobody ever gave him a chance! Frustrated, he tossed the only cup he had aside with a grunt. A bronze cup he'd once won as a child when Kamek entered him in a contest for ugliest baby of all time. And he still came third! A source of pride.
Sitting in his green velvety armchair, the demoralized Koopa squinted at the door when he heard four small knocks on the wood. Hesitant at first to chase away the guy who wanted to disturb his depressed state, he finally invited the stranger to enter his favorite room. The door creaked open, and two little faces poked their heads inside to see that Bowser was standing in front of his trophy cabinet, full of all kinds of objects. From picture frames to useless stuff like handkerchiefs and pencils that had real sentimental value for the owner of this personal collection. Some of the photos were images of Cinder and Junior taken at happy moments, while others were representations of him as a baby alongside Kamek and the other Magikoopas.
Still locked in his cage to bring light into the room, the speechless little yellow Luma whirled quietly as the red-robed human approached, looking happy to see her again. The young woman quickly put her finger to her lips and motioned for him to be quiet, as she did not want her husband to know that she had been here earlier! Besides, she'd have to come up with some good arguments to free poor Luma, who'd been locked up in this dark room for ages... One of her priorities since becoming Queen. Discreetly greeting him with a wave of her hand, she hurried to join Bowser Junior, who was keeping his hands hidden behind his back with a small, delighted smile when his father raised an intrigued eyebrow at him. Together, side by side in front of a puzzled Bowser, they counted to three before revealing with a little "tadah!" what he was hiding.
It was a yellow origami, its folds forming a golden cup. Since their return to Bowser's castle, they had been working hard to make him something to cheer him up after his defeat. And Cinder had come up with the idea of origami! An idea that instantly appealed to Junior, who quickly set to work.
"Congratulations! You've won the cup for best dad ever!" Bowser Jr. exclaimed with a beaming smile as his father retrieved the little cup made from paper he'd colored himself. A little nervous that his gift might not please him or that he might find it ridiculous, he nervously twisted his claws as he waited for a reaction.
"I know it's not a real gold cup ... And that you wanted to win this race no matter what, but we wanted to make you something to cheer you up. Because for us, you're the real winner." Admitted the little turtle with the drooping snout, worried by his father's silence. He hated seeing his dad as sad as Cinder, so it was only natural that they should make him this cup. Although disappointed that they failed to finish.
Because in the end, the most important thing was to take part.
Cinder smiled softly at Junior, placing her hand on his green shell in support. She was really proud of him and his more than exemplary behavior over the last two days. She knew how important his father's recognition was to him, despite his own happiness. Glancing in Bowser's direction when he still said nothing, she followed his clawed hand with her gaze as he bent to retrieve his origami cup, which he held preciously in the center of his palm. A few seconds passed in tense silence as he just stared at the object. Then suddenly, the big, cruel, Machiavellian King grabbed both of them and imprisoned them in his big, strong arms in a smothering hug. Smiling, their laughter quickly filled the room where Bowser had been moping earlier, now happy and fulfilled. It may not have been much, but for him, it was the greatest gift in the world.
A cup awarded by his son and his wife was worthless!
After a few more laughs and affectionate hugs, Cinder and Junior left the King to take his mind off his brand-new trophy and went to Koopa Cook to prepare a meal worthy of this victory. Bowser waited until they had left the room before rising from his armchair and carefully placing his paper cup on the top shelf, between two picture frames. One of his son, and the other of the young woman smiling knowingly on their wedding day. Tenderly passing a claw along the edge of the frame to this wonderful memento of the happiest day of his life, after Junior's birth of course, an evasive smile stretched the corners of his muzzle until he heard another knock at his door that snapped him out of his daydreams. This time it was franker. Decidedly!
"What now?" He annoyed in a voice shaken by the familiar sting of tears. He wasn't sentimental at all! It was the dust on the knickknacks. Embarrassed by his condition, he cleared his throat and turned to the guy who had disturbed his solitary reflection. He was surprised to see Terry in the doorway.
"Pssst!" Called the Toad in black as he looked from left to right before entering without permission, slamming the door with his foot. Once he was sure they were alone, the little mushroom who idolized Bowser pulled something out from under his black jacket. It was the banana cut.
"Look what I'm bringing back for my beloved Master! Haha, those big losers didn't realize a thing! By the way, bravo for the diversion, it was great art. They never saw it coming. The most difficult part was to deceive the vigilance of the glue pot who serves as my brother..." Terry grumbled with an exasperated sigh at the memory of this nerve-wracking trick. There was no denying he was the best at deception! He amazed himself. Before holding out the cup, he misted it to polish its surface with his sleeve.
"So? Who's the best pickpocket ever? Huh, who?" He boasted with a presumptuous smile when his superior retrieved the large cup with a wondering expression.
"Mwahahahaha! Yes, it's mine! I finally have it in my possession..." Delighted, Bowser admired his reflection in the gold of the cup, which strangely enough didn't weigh all that much. Laughing devilishly with Terry, he fell silent as he placed it in his cupboard, making sure to put it behind the origami. Not in front of it. For the homemade cup was still more precious to him than a simple rare-metal cup. A remark Terry was careful not to make.
Then the two of them started giggling again at this nasty trick that marked the end of this chaotic day, the feeling of having won the most beautiful of victories.
End
So here we go, I hope you enjoyed your adventures in the Jungle Kingdom! There may one day be another OS on Mario Kart, but not right now, as I have other projects that deserve to see the light of day. Anyway, I love this game!
Then the OC "Terry the Terrible" belongs to ODemonKillO
See you soon, and good luck to those returning to school!
VP