Mario, Koops, and Frankly got out of the warp pipe and what they saw looks so huge.
KOOPS:
Oh, man… Hooktail's Lair…
MARIO:
Looks so much bigger than Koopa Bros. Fortress.
FRANKLY:
By the way, the bridge is out up ahead, but it's broken!
KOOPS:
Well, how are we supposed to get across now?
MARIO:
Hmm… I have an idea! You'll have to trust me on this one!
KOOPS:
What!?
MARIO:
Just hop up on my back, and I'll make a big leap to get you two to safety.
KOOPS:
Are you insane…? Oh, alright, I suppose it would be worth a shot, anyway.
(Koops climbs up to Mario's back)
MARIO:
Oh, gosh… you're so heavy.
(Mario grabs Frankly and he slowly walks backwards, then, with no hesitation, Mario runs as fast as he can and moon jumps over the gap)
KOOPS:
Wait… how did you levitate like that?
MARIO:
It's called a moon jump, Koops.
KOOPS:
I didn't know you could do that! In fact, I've never saw you do that in your games! Not even once! And where did you get get your… levitate skills?
MARIO:
It's a pretty long story, actually. Anyway, let's-a get-a going!
(The trio started walking in the castle)
FRANKLY:
I can't believe you're bringing Koops along for the ride.
KOOPS:
Let's go and find Hooktail so you can get your emerald thingy.
(They were finally inside the castle)
KOOPS:
Whoa! It looks… creepy.
MARIO:
Now, we just gotta go all the way to the top, I think Hooktail's up there.
FRANKLY:
Then there's no time to waste! We gotta get to the top, slay that dragon, and get that Chaos Emerald!
MARIO:
Let's-a go!
(As they were heading to the other door, two Paratroopas and a Koopa Troopa approached the trio)
PARATROOPA:
Hey, what do you think you're doing chumps? You think you can just kill our master, Hooktail?
(Koops grabbed Mario's hammer and whacked the three bad turtles)
BAD KOOPA:
Mark my words, crybaby! We'll be back here for you!
(Koops gives Mario his Ultra Hammer back)
MARIO:
Wow, you really are brave!
FRANKLY:
And savage!
MARIO:
Well… let's go!
(They continued walking)
KOOPS:
I can't believe I'm gonna slay that Hooktail, and then I'll get all the praise, I'll make new friends, and I'll finally overcome my fear! What was your backstory like? I wanna know how you became the hero of the Mushroom Kingdom.
MARIO:
That… is also a pretty long story.
(He then began fantasizing about his past on those old Mario cartoon shows. It's been going like this for a few seconds until Koops screamed which snapped him back to reality)
KOOPS:
NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
MARIO:
What happened?
(Turns out Koops was freaking out at the sight of a Dry Bones wearing blue shoes like Kooper. Koops and Frankly ran up to it with Mario following behind)
KOOPS:
These bones!
FRANKLY:
What do you mean "these bones"?
KOOPS:
I think that dead Koopa is… my…
(He begins to sob)
KOOPS:
DAAAAAAAAAAAAAD!
(Koops continued to sob. Mario offers him a hug which Koops immediately accepts and is still crying)
MARIO:
I'm so sorry for your loss.
(It went on for a few seconds until Frankly broke the silence)
FRANKLY:
What the heck is this letter doing here?
(Mario then took notice of the letter getting sat by the bones of Koops's father)
MARIO:
Hey Koops, I think your Dad wrote a letter for you.
(Koops wipes the tear off of his eye)
KOOPS:
Wait, he did? Can I… can I read it?
MARIO:
Well, he is your father… so, I don't see why not.
KOOPS:
Okay… here I go… "I came to this castle to destroy Hooktail, but I am stuck and can go no further. So, in this letter, I shall note Hooktail's weaknesses for those who follow. The dread Hooktail cannot tolerate creatures that begin with "cr" and end with "icket". Hidden somewhere in this castle is an infestation of crickets based on Hooktail's weakness. If one is to have any hope of defeating Hooktail, one must first find that infested room. One last thing: if faced with ultimate doom, the fiend will use any trick to save itself. If you hope to defeat it, do not give in to your kinder nature and fall for it's tricks. Alas, I do not have the strength to continue writing… already, mist veils my eyes… my last words go to my son, Kolorado: I love you, and I'm proud of who you've become."
MARIO:
What?
KOOPS:
Wait? "My son, Kolorado"? Not "Koops"?
MARIO:
What do you know? This was actually the famous archeologist's father!
KOOPS:
Oops, I'm sorry I mistook this Kolorado guy's dad as mine.
MARIO:
Hey, we all make mistakes. Maybe your dad wears blue shoes, as well.
KOOPS:
My dad actually DOES wear blue shoes!
MARIO:
Hmm, interesting. I'm-a gonna have to take this letter to Parakarry and have him deliver it to Professor Kolorado. Anyway, we gotta go find the cricket-infested room.
KOOPS:
Yeah.
FRANKLY:
Hey Koops, is your dad over there guarding the door?
(Koops notices the Red Bones lying by the door)
KOOPS:
I don't think so, that Koopa's wearing red shoes.
(Just then the Red Bones revived itself)
RED BONES:
Blaarf harf harf HARF! You clearly don't value your lives much if you've come to this castle to disturb us. You will go no farther, and from this moment on… you'll be nothing but bones!
(He jumped up and lots and lots of Dull Bones fell off the ceiling)
MARIO:
What the mama-mia!
FRANKLY:
Holy moly!
KOOPS:
What are these Koopas doing!? Ow! OW! Watch it, freaks! They're shoving us around!
MARIO:
If only I could reach out for my hammer…
(Mario then grabbed his hammer somehow)
MARIO:
ah-HA!
(Mario hammered his way to the Red Bones while knocking the Dull Bones out of his way. He then ripped the Red Bones head off which causes the Dull Bones to float back up to the ceiling. Mario noticed a key inside a Red Bones and took it out)
MARIO:
Wow, he was guarding a key by shoving it down his throat?
FRANKLY:
That is just weird. Mario, please hurry up and find the emerald, this castle's creeping me out, y'know?
MARIO:
I'll-a do my very best!
(They unlocked the door and continued their path until they saw a familiar someone going through the door that was straight ahead of their path)
KOOPS:
Whoa! What was that red guy?
FRANKLY:
I'm not sure…
MARIO:
I know him. He was the one that gave me that Emerald Finder gadget!
KOOPS:
Wait, what?
(Mario shows Koops the Emerald Finder 1000)
KOOPS:
Oh, cool! Where'd you get that?
MARIO:
Oh, this red echidna gave that to me earlier.
KOOPS:
You mean that guy that walked through the door a second ago?
(Just then, Knuckles popped out of the door)
KNUCKLES:
Hey, come here!
(Mario, Koops, and Frankly went to that door that Knuckles got in)
KNUCKLES:
Hey Mario, it's a good thing you're here! 'Cause I got some advice for you: the castle is filled with booby-traps, and if you aren't careful, you could waste away to a slow and painful end.
MARIO:
Okay, good advice, but where in this castle can I find crickets? The letter said there's an infested room somewhere.
KNUCKLES:
It's in the room up front, it's the one with those spikes on the ceiling.
(Mario gulps)
KOOPS:
That explains why you said there are booby traps in the castle!
MARIO:
How can we get those crickets without, y'know, activating the trap?
KNUCKLES:
Hooktail has sent his slaves out to clean the crickets out every day! There's a crack in the wall where the crickets can fit in. And be careful, Hooktail also has security cameras, if he sees you catching the crickets in that room, he'll activate the spikes. Here, I'm giving you a backpack-like vacuum that won't kill them.
MARIO:
Okay.
(He puts it around his back)
MARIO:
Let's-a do this!
KNUCKLES:
Good luck, Mario, and be careful. Try to be quick before the spikes activate, okay?
KOOPS:
Will do, thank you so much.
KNUCKLES:
You're welcome, guys. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must head back to the Floating Island.
(Knuckles leaves the room)
KOOPS:
(Takes a deep breath)
Okay, let's go in and get all those crickets before we activate… whatever this Knuckles guy said.
(Once the trio enter the room, Mario starts his vacuum up and sucks up all the crickets as fast as he can. Meanwhile, at the lair, Hooktail noticed Mario vacuuming the crickets. One of her slaves came in which appeared to be a Toad)
TOAD SLAVE:
Hooktail, ma'am! There are intruders… in the spike room… and one of them is…
HOOKTAIL:
I already know that, you imbecile! Do you really think I'm stupid!?
(She then takes a closer look on the screen)
HOOKTAIL:
Argh, it's that plumber that I encountered earlier! You think you can just go up there and make me barf? Well, two can play it this game!
(Hooktail then pushes the button which triggers the spikes. Back at the infested room, Mario was finished sucking up the last cricket that was in the center of the room. They were about to make a run for it, when they heard rumbling)
KOOPS:
W-W-W-What's happening!?
(Spikes started popping out from the floor which creates a maze)
MARIO:
Crap! More spikes!
KOOPS:
Oh, we are gonna die! The spiked ceiling's gonna fall down and crush us!
MARIO:
We gotta get out of here, now!
(Mario and Koops made a run for it through the maze, sometimes accidentally picking the wrong path. They finally made it out the door just as the spikes were so close to their heads. However, Frankly kept picking the wrong paths like he's stupid. Outside of the spike room, Koops took a deep breath)
KOOPS:
That WAS close.
MARIO:
TOO close.
(Mario can hear Frankly hollering for help)
MARIO:
Wait! Did we leave Frankly in there!?
KOOPS:
Oh, shoot!
FRANKLY:
(His voice was muffled as you can hear him through the spike room, but you can still understand what he's saying, though)
I don't know where the exit is, Goombella! I'm gonna…
(Before he could finish, he was crushed by the spikes)
MARIO:
No! Frankly! He's dead! He's…
KOOPS:
He's right behind us.
(Mario turned around and noticed Professor Frankly standing right with them in perfect condition)
MARIO:
Crushed!
KOOPS:
Well, at least we're all still alive.
MARIO:
Yeah, thank God! In fact, how did I hear a "splat" sound?
FRANKLY:
Ketchup packets!
MARIO:
What?
(He then saw a Toad slave)
TOAD SLAVE:
Master Hooktail!
(The Toad slave ran off)
MARIO:
O… kay? Let's just get a move on!
(His phone suddenly rang. It was his dad)
MARIO:
Ugh, my dad wants me at that motel.
(He answers it)
MARIO:
Hello?
JUMPMAN:
Son, where are you?
MARIO:
Uhh… I'm at, uh… the Mushroom Kingdom, there's warp pipes in Rogueport. I'll be back before midnight, don't you worry. Love you. Bye.
JUMPMAN:
Love you, too. Bye-bye.
(He hangs up)
KOOPS:
Wow, your dad bought your lie.
MARIO:
Well, he wouldn't believe I was in a castle, now let's get going.
(They went out through that other door on the opposite side of the spike room door. Meanwhile, back with Hooktail)
HOOKTAIL:
Ugh! They survived! They survived my trap! And they got the… *gags* crickets!
TOAD SLAVE:
Uh… Master Hooktail? Should you just let them barge in so you can kill them yourself?
HOOKTAIL:
Ugh, I don't know if I can do that if they're gonna set the crickets free in my room! I'm gonna be sick!
(She then thought of a plan)
HOOKTAIL:
Wait! I have an idea.
(Two of the Toads looked at each other confused as Hooktail does her sinister laugh that sounds a lot like Lady Bow's laugh, but slightly low pitched)
To Be Continued