We're back, and Ludwig won't stop staring at me. It's making me uncomfortable.

Ludwig: Did it ever occur to you that that was my goal?

As a matter of fact, it did. You Koopalings suck, you know that?

Ludwig: On the contrary. We're the best at what we do.

Do whatever you want. I'm moving on.

Disclaimer: I stole some of the lines regarding the heart attack in the previous chapter from a Baby Blues comic story arc, almost all word-for-word.

Chapter 2: Summons to the Summit

Noon and afternoon came and went, but the royal birthday party continued. Bowser Jr. had since opened all his presents by early evening, but there were still games to be had and delicious food to be eaten by all in attendance. The giant cake, while partially consumed, still stood. Bowser still had some of it on his shell and in his hair from his plummet, as did many others who decided to high-dive into it as the day went on.

Peach shook her head at Bowser. "Are you sure you don't want to clean up?" she asked, giggling.

Bowser nodded, grinning as widely as he'd been all day. "I'll do that before bed. You and me and everyone else finds it funny, so I'm gonna keep it for as long as I can."

A minion snapped a candid photo of the two and ran off to find other photogenic memories to capture for the prince. Peach and Bowser watched him run off, looked at each other, and laughed.

Elsewhere in a more spacious, grassy area of the courtyard, some of the Koopalings had talked Mario and Luigi into competing with each other regarding how far the twins would be able to toss the Koopas by the tail, like their father. Ludwig and Wendy unsurprisingly declined to participate, but it became quite a spectator sport for many of the minions. Soon, it was Junior's turn to be tossed by Mario.

Mario knelt down and put his hands on Junior's shoulders. "You ready?"

Junior nodded and answered, "Yeah! It looks so much fun!"

Mario stood up. "Okey-dokey! Turn around, then."

Junior obeyed, but before Mario could grab his tail to begin the wind-up, light filled the air above the courtyard.

Everyone looked up to see a giant projection of Eldstar.

"So sorry to interrupt your fun, everyone," the Star Spirit apologized. "I wish I could say this was just a greeting from us… Happy birthday, by the way, Bowser Jr." He looked at the Koopa in question.

The birthday boy waved awkwardly.

Eldstar continued, "But you are needed at Shooting Star Summit immediately. Mario, Luigi, Peach, Bowser, Kamek, Kammy Koopa, and all eight of you Koopalings. Please hurry!" With that, Eldstar ended his communication and the apparition disappeared.

"That's it?" Roy yelled. "No explanation or nothin'?"

"It's gotta be important if they need all fourteen of us," Morton pointed out, "I can't imagine what it could be though. Eldstar said it wasn't just a birthday greeting. You don't think it's a surprise party, do you? Why invite all of us for thammph!" Morton was cut off by Roy's hand in his mouth.

Kamek flew up on his broom and announced to the gathered minions. "Continue partying without us, ladies and gentlemen! Normal party curfew still applies, though, and be sure to assist in cleanup." He looked up at the cake. "Hmmm… perhaps some of you can put your heads together to come up with how to store this."

Bowser Jr hastily painted a picture of himself on a tablecloth. "There, now I can still be here for my party!" He put his brush in his shell and joined his family. "I'm ready."

The extended Koopa family left the castle, leaving the minions to make up for their absence by partying to the fullest. The Elite Trio started to follow.

"Hey, where are you going?" someone called from behind them. "The party's not over yet!"

The three turned to see three of the Koopa Kids running after them.

Sergeant Guy cleared his throat, "Well, boys, we wished to see what this summoning to Shooting Star Summit was about. Like Prince Morton said, it seems really important."

"Yeah!" Corporal Paraplonk agreed. "Lord Bowser can't have too much help with whatever it could be, you know!"

Red Koopa Kid shook his head. "Naw, Mr. Bowser's got this." He grabbed Sergeant Guy and pulled him back to the crowd. "Kick back and relax, you guys! It's a party."

The other two Koopa Kids grabbed Paraplonk and Private Goomp in turn, pulling them along as well despite their protests.

"We'll be sure to let Mr. Bowser know that you wanted to help, though!" Blue Koopa Kid assured them. "Put in a good word for you!"

"Oh, yay!" Private Goomp feigned enthusiasm, exchanging frustrated looks with his partners. "It's the thought that counts!"

*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*

Mario looked around at the small group when they arrived. A group of all extremely familiar faces.

"Yoshi?"

Yoshi turned and waved. "Yoshi!" He cleared his throat. "Uh, I mean. Hi, Mario!" he repeated outside his native tongue.

Birdo waved next to him. "Hello, Mario, and everyone! Wow the entire Koopa family, how sweet!" She blinked and giggled. "Bowser, you have a little something on your…"

Bowser laughed, "Yeah, I know. It's fine."

Peach gasped, "Daisy? Why didn't you tell me you were back in the Mushroom Kingdom?" She ran up and hugged her best friend.

Princess Daisy hugged back. "I only just got here!" she answered.

"What?" Peach asked. "The journey from Sarasaland is at least four days."

"And Big Ape City takes about the same," Pauline added, walking up to the summit.

"Pauline!" Mario and Pauline hugged her.

"Hello, Lady Pauline," Ludwig greeted. "It's been a while."

Wendy looked around. "Are Blue Koopa and Kraig here too?"

Pauline sighed and shook her head, smiling. "No, I don't think they were summoned here. And you didn't hear this from me, but," she bent forward slightly, "they're too busy planning a certain wedding."

Wendy's eyes widened and she bit her lip to keep from squealing. "You are giving me all the details later, okay?!" she ordered, pointing.

"If you all are just getting here," Morton began, "then you must have gotten the summons from Eldstar or another Star Spirit long enough ago for you to get going just in time to arrive here at the same time as us and whoever else might be coming, barring of course Warp Pipes which makes travel across the planet and beyond instantaneo—"

"Oh my gosh, BREATHE!" another familiar voice shouted during her approach.

"Goombella?!" Lemmy gasped and turned. He gasped again. "By the Stars, it's everyone!"

"Wait, really?" Mario turned and his eyes lit up at the sight of his entire party from his journey to collect the Crystal Stars… "And… Doopliss?" He blinked at the sight of the Duplighost. "You were summoned here too?"

Doopliss shrugged. "Yeah, Slick. I dunno why."

"There's more people coming behind us," Goombella explained, "so we might have to wait on that 'why'."

"Wow, there's a lot of people here!" a young voice peeped from the next group.

Everyone turned and Mario laughed as he saw his other party approaching. Goombario, Kooper, Bombette, Parakarry, Lady Bow, Watt, Sushie, and Lakilester all at once.

"There sure are, Watt!" Sushie replied. "And look! Hello, Mario! Hello, Princess Peach! How are you doing?"

Mario shook the Cheep Cheep's fin. "We've been doing really well. Life's been a lot more interesting now that we have eight Dragon-Koopas to take care of." He jerked his thumb at the Koopalings.

Goombella approached the Mushroom Kingdom party. "So this is your whole party from that adventure?" she asked Mario. "We finally get to meet you all!"

Both sets of partners exchanged names and pleasantries.

Followed soon after by grimaces as a gruff and a nasally voice made their arrival known.

"Waaaah! Why's it so crowded here?"

"Haha, big welcome party!"

"Oh no…" Luigi groaned.

"You've gotta be kidding me!" Mario and Daisy muttered, both facepalming.

Less-than-enthused expressions met those of none other than Wario and Waluigi.

"What?" Wario asked cheekily. "Are you not happy to see us?"

"The only people happy to see you are your employees," a raspy voice snarked behind the two brothers. "Until they find out you ripped them off again."

Wario growled and turned around. "Big talk coming from a puny mushroom!"

Toad did not blink. "The same puny mushroom that took back the Peaceful Woods despite your spell on it," he shot back.

Larry looked at Peach. "Wait, did that really happen?"

"Oh, it happened," Birdo answered for the princess. "I helped Toad the whole way." She then yelled at Wario, shaking her fist. "You'd better not make any mischief, you stupid oaf! We're not afraid to clobber you again!"

Wario jumped and turned his head. "Uh-oh, she's here, too?" He lifted an arm behind his head. "Uhhh, mischief? Wario hates doing mischief. What's mischief?"

"That's what I thought," Birdo huffed, hands on her hips.

"Wimp," Waluigi scoffed at his brother.

"Shut up," Wario muttered, grabbing Waluigi and dragging him to an unoccupied space on the summit.

Toad walked up to his friends and princess, along with Toadette and Toadsworth, who had come with him.

Birdo hugged Toad. "It's good to see you again."

Daisy hugged Toadette. "Maybe we can go shopping together while we're here after this."

Toadette's eyes lit up. "We HAVE to!"

Mario chuckled. "I've never seen Wario back down so fast before," he said to Toad and Birdo. "Whatever it is you two did to him, looks like he remembers."

The two unlikely teammates nodded proudly.

"I'm surprised we didn't see you getting here," Peach wondered aloud. "You three really should have been the first ones here."

"My theory about the timing of the Star Spirits' messages to everyone they summoned here is probably right on the money!" Morton started, only to receive Roy's hand in his mouth before he could continue.

Iggy counted everyone present. "Thirty-nine…" he finished. "With Star Spirits know how many more are on the way… Just how many people did they ask to come here?!"

No sooner did Iggy's question leave his lips than did it get answered as twelve newcomers joined the gathering on the mountain. Twelve very hairy newcomers.

"By golly!" Toadsworth exclaimed. "I can't say I've ever seen so many Kongs in one place before!"

"I had no idea there even were that many!" Bowser admitted.

Goombella, meanwhile, flipped furiously through her Tattle Log while Goombario wracked his brain to remember anything he learned about them.

"Look, one of them is a ghost, Bow!" Watt pointed out to the Boo.

"Well, well, well!" Cranky Kong began, approaching the group. "What's so important that the Stars had to call the whole family out here, anyway?"

Mario raised his hands. "Easy, Cranky, we only just got here, too. We're not really sure what's going on."

"So we have to wait?" Cranky complained. "Do you know how long the journey was to get here?"

Pauline cleared her throat. "Well, Cranky, maybe you could pass the time by introducing us to the rest of the Kongs." She smiled gently at him. "It's only polite, you know."

The ghost Kong floated next to Cranky and put a hand on his shoulder. "She's right, dear."

Cranky grumbled but relented under the smile of Pauline and his wife, gesturing to the latter. "This is my lovely wife Wrinkly Kong. She passed away a few years ago, but that hasn't kept her from staying by my side."

"A silly little thing like death won't stop me from helping my Kongs," Wrinkly cooed.

"All of you know my son Donkey," Cranky continued, "and many of you have met Diddy, Dixie, and maybe Funky and Tiny."

The respective Kongs waved, and Funky greeted everyone with an upward nod. "Sup, dudes?"

A Kong with a suit, cane, shoes, rings, and bowler hat stepped forward. "Might I take it from here, Cranky?"

Cranky waved his hand. "Go ahead, whatever. Makes my life easier."

The sharply dressed Kong twirled his cane. "My name is Swanky Kong. I'm usually on the sidelines of adventures, so I was surprised to be summoned here with the others." He pointed the cane towards the tall female Kong with reddish fur and blonde hair. "The same can be said for this lovely lady here, Candy Kong." He moved on to a much shorter Kong with overalls and orange fur. "Our funny-faced friend here is Lanky Kong." He finished at the largest Kong anyone had ever seen and the smallest — and clearly the youngest, based on the onesie and pacifier he sported — Kong in the group next to him. "These two brothers holding hands are Chunky Kong and Kiddy Kong. I'll give you three guesses as to which one is which," Swanky Kong finished with a joke. He smiled upon hearing more than one chuckle, his teeth sparkling.

Cranky Kong clapped, rolling his eyes. "Bravo, Swanky. Thanks for the intros." He looked around. "Now will anyone here tell us what's going on?" he demanded.

Suddenly a beam of light shone down from the heavens on the peak of the summit, opening the way to Star Haven.

"I guess this means everyone is here?" Toadette wondered aloud.

Mario looked around at everyone. "I'm surprised Rosalina wasn't summoned too. It's a complete cast!"

Peach gasped and pointed at the shaft of light. "Mario, look!"

Everyone saw as, descending to the summit from Star Haven, was the Mother of the Cosmos herself.

"Spoke too soon," Mario murmured.

"Rosie! Hi!" Daisy waved.

Rosalina smiled and waved back, and then looked around at all who were gathered there. "Thank you all for coming on such short notice. Please, follow me, the Star Spirits will explain everything." She turned and reentered the path to Star Haven, beckoning the others.

Several looks were exchanged amongst the friends and families before, slowly, they followed.

Good lord, I kept stopping and starting while writing this one. Also, that frustrated scream you heard in the distance was me trying to write dialogue for 52 characters! I'm glad I cut some corners there.

Ludwig: *cleaning out his ear* Remind me not to be standing next to you when next you do that.

Think of it as the cycle of revenge, Luddy.

Ludwig: *glares* That's fair, but I hate you.

You're lucky I haven't been able to figure out how to arrange it so Wendy reads this chapter next to your other ear.

*fangirl squeal in the distance*

Ope, sounds like she got to part about Kraig and Blue Koopa's engagement!