Chapter 67: Bowser's Rampage
The dark chapel at the top of the castle was in a inconsolable state – a plaintive derelict no longer teeming with the unconscionable likes of Ganondorf or Black Shadow to give it meaning. Now, it would have to endure the inexpressive repine of silence. Seldom used as a place of sojourn. Just a transitional hallway between more venerable rooms that served a better purpose
However, the chapel soon experienced a scintillating revival, as a cacophony of footsteps and panting disrupted the brooding quietude. Sora and his friends hurried through the room; their plan was to strike first, obviating Bowser's chances of surmounting them with an advantage.
But misfortune effaced the notion with an unruly, pessimistic eraser.
Sora was ahead of the group, about to turn the corner, when the dark room brightened from a menacing orange glow. A paroxysm of heat rapped against his skin, and it grew hotter by the second. Instinct's salient presence arrogated all other thoughts, forcing Sora to leap back, avoiding an incoming fireball.
After landing, Sora summoned the Keyblade, preparing for their inexorable encounter with the Koopa King. The others prepared their weapons, too. Anxiety dove headfirst into Luigi's chest, causing unease waves to spread throughout his body. But he took a deep breath, trying to keep those feelings from reaching shore. He had his friend's succor. Together they were a unified battlement. Nothing would pass through the gaps.
As the smoke settled from the attack, everyone heard the bizarre sound of a propeller echoing throughout the room. Sora and Fox glanced around the room from an itch of confusion in their necks.
But Luigi and Yoshi's expressions became adorned in rough, threadbare tinsel of panic.
"I know that sound anywhere," Luigi said, keeping his hammer close.
The malodorous scent of fumes pinched its harsh nails against Yoshi's nostrils. "And that smell. Smokey breath. Yuck!"
Bowser made his grand appearance in front of the group, replete with unyielding determination. They had been an incommode for far too long. Everything he had been working for was in reach, starting to truss itself around his scaly fingers. And he wouldn't let the group unfasten that grip. Happiness was close to regaling his insatiate heart; he wanted to experience such ardor for all eternity.
His story was going to surcease with a happy ending. He would debar anyone from tearing off that last page and shredding it into cold, despondent snowflakes – unable to reform, unable to resurrect a perfect dream. Bowser loomed over the four; his fierce, red eyes pierced out from the transparent shell of darkness.
They were locked onto each victim; any moment he'd grab them with his sharp nails and drag them into the dark abyss. None could escape its gamut of misery. Cries for help were naught but a feeble whisper to the outside world.
And Bowser couldn't wait for their incongruous voices to taper off into blissful silence. "Well, well. Look who's showed up uninvited. You boys have some nerve wandering through my new castle. Especially through the same bland hallways. Too bad you won't get to see the refurbished version."
Bowser's visage should have had enough imitation to incinerate the copse of their courage into a bleak wasteland of fear. But Sora and Fox were distracted by something peculiar. The Koopa King had ridden in on a strange, helicopter-like vehicle, with a green propeller located at the bottom, and it was hovering over the four. But what caught Sora and Fox's attention was the vehicle's front design, which was a clown face.
For a moment, the two stared at the strange anomaly in silence, as confusion stumbled over the folds of their brains. They then turned to each other, snickering.
"Sorry," Bowser said, frowning. "I missed the punchline. Care to fill me in before I roast every hair off your head?"
Fox pointed at the vehicle; his amused smirk didn't erode from the Koopa King's threatening tone. "What is that thing? Your secret weapon? Is it supposed to fall over and hit us with pies?"
Angry blood surged through Bowser's veins with the velocity of a bullet train. Any second it would derail, crash, and explode into a firestorm of rage.
"Don't joke," Luigi said, as caution played uneven notes in his throat. On occasion, Bowser would use this clown car as a form of transportation. But it was also efficient in battle. Luigi recalled the last time he contented with it; unpleasant memories meandered throughout the corridors of his mind with strident steps. "His clown car will make you forever question the integrity of painted performers."
"How?" Fox asked, incredulous. "By using his latex balloon animals to induce an allergic reaction?"
The trained derailed; livid pieces of metal and glass scattered everywhere, leaving their dangerous mark. Bowser would not be seen as a jester in the court of patriarchy. Especially from the pert badinage uttered by some nobodies. He let out a fierce roar that left the room ague in absolute terror. The group covered their ears to muffle the colossal noise from smashing through their ear drums like a furious tank.
"Shut up!" Bowser said, as cracks of enraged blood formed on his eyes like lava. "I'm tired of you goody-goods always making a fool of me! I'm the king of an entire race! I demand respect!"
Despite Bowser's intimidating presence surrounding the group like a vindictive mob, temerity cajoled Luigi to step before the crowd, delivering an invective litany: "Respect. Yeah, that's the last thing you need. You've done despicable things before, but this time you've gone too far! We know about how you forced our friends from Traverse Town out of their home!"
"Doth my ears deceive me?" Bowser asked, as his lineament tightened in irritation from the unpleasant melody of candor. "Is baby brother actually opening his little beak? How adorable. Don't fret. I'll restore your timorous deportment once I slowly pluck each and every hair off that ugly moustache of yours."
That courage Luigi had was ephemeral, becoming diffident before the looming shadow of Bowser's threatening words. Aggrieved, he felt himself stepping backwards, as if being pulled by a magnet of disinclination; it was always attracted to his immutable inquietude.
Seeing Luigi succumb to fear's imperious authority ameliorated the Koopa King's mood. In fact, he broke into laughter. "Now there's the Green Stache we all know and loath. Just a nobody without his big brother to serve as a hiding spot."
But hearing that insult caused Luigi's doubt to demagnetize. He wouldn't acquiesce to that pejorative. Mario would no longer be his shield. He had to forge his own weapon – not just of defense, but one that would strike back with incredible force, leaving behind an indelible laceration. His friends were depending on him in this battle. He wouldn't be the sand bag that dragged everyone into a pit of defeat.
A confluence of courage and strength moved upstream into his heart, impelling him to take a step forward again with loud palpitations. Even Bowser was somewhat surprised by this aberration in character. But it didn't make a difference. He wasn't intimidated; Luigi would always be viewed as a bootleg of his brother – an inferior being that had a similar physiognomy, but lacked the annoying luster that flared in Bowser's eyes.
"Right now, I could care less about some longstanding grudge you have with him," Fox said, as impatience accrued in his stomach like irksome branches. "I'm here for Krystal. Tell me where she is before things get ugly."
"Ugly how?" Bowser asked, letting the meaningless threat deflect off his inexpressive countenance. "By you shedding all over my castle?" He then smirked. "Afraid you're all too late. At any moment, the final Keyhole will be unsealed. This world will be plunged into darkness. Ain't a thing you numbskulls can do to stop it."
Sora summoned the Keyblade, getting into his battle position, once again fueled by his predilection for being errant before the inevitable. "Sounds like a challenge to me! We aim to prove you wrong! Why should we stop now? We've didn't come this far just to lose!"
Bowser narrowed his eyes at the boy with malice; he couldn't stand such platitudes sliding into his inner ear like bacteria. Cold air started to circulate through the vicinity. The room became darker, as if what little light source remained shut their eyelids in terror. For a moment, the room held its breath before the silent anger in the Koopa King.
"You know, kid," Bowser said, glaring at Sora. "Everyone time I gaze upon your spiky head, my blood vessels inch just a little bit closer to popping. Your good nature, your disgustingly upbeat attitude – ugh, it reminds me so much of HIM! I can't take it! You think a little punk like you stands a chance against the KING OF ALL KOOPAS!?"
Bowser hovered into the air; he would obviate every hope and desire the group had from shining an ethereal spotlight on them. By the end of this fight, they would be imbibed with the knowledge that the Koopa King's power was insuperable; everything they had accomplished was for naught. Failure's solemn whispers would assist in crooning them into an eternal, restless sleep within a mattress of darkness.
But Sora and his friends would ignore every insipid breath uttered in their ears – their ultimate desires engendered them with a determined roar. Especially Sora. But he couldn't cozen with himself; this would be his toughest challenge yet. That familiar chill of darkness wasn't homogeneous like Ganondorf's or Black Shadow's; it was stronger, more aggressive. A single step forward could make your skin numb.
But Sora stayed huddled around an encouraging fire, seeing the images of Riku and Kairi within its indefatigable flames. They impelled him to not be intimidated. And he was sure Luigi, Yoshi, and Fox sat with him next to that esoteric fireplace. Both sides were ready to see this interminable conflict reach its destination; only one could step onto its victorious platform.
The clown car opened its mouth, revealing a dark, metal tongue in the form of a cannon. Bowser launched a cannon ball at the group, forcing them to roll away from each other. Luigi and Yoshi to one side, with Sora and Fox on the other, creating a temporary laceration in their strength. He flew straight at the aforementioned duo, claw raised, prepared to leave a literal, permeant mark – a memento of his incontrovertible strength.
Yoshi raised his shield, blocking the strike; the dinosaur's body trembled from the apoplectic force. But he tightened his muscles, trying not to be overawed by its might. Luigi leaped over Yoshi, preparing to attack with his hammer. Bowser used his opposite claw to deflect the strike. Luigi landed on Yoshi's back, and brought his hammer up just in time to block a punch from the Koopa King.
The power behind the punch was strong enough to knock Luigi across the room. He landed on his back, wincing as pick axes of pain climbed up the vertebrate at alarming speeds. But he took a deep breath, ignoring the unpleasant trek. Vacillation tried growing weeds of doubt, but Luigi uprooted them before they festered in his chest. He wouldn't accede to discouragement. Not this time. A loose pendulum dangled over the lives of his loved ones. He couldn't let it fall.
Bowser flew over to Luigi while he was vulnerable, inhaled, and prepared to incinerate every last hair on his skin. But the Koopa King's moment of glory became incipient, as a pink laser beam flew by his line of sight. Spinning around, enraged, he saw the one culpable for the transgression: Fox.
Bowser redirected the fireball towards Fox, who leaped right to avoid the blast. He countered with another laser from his blaster. To Fox's surprise, the Koopa King was adroit in dodging every single shot. At one point he even spun upside down to avoid a blast. Fox was bewildered; improbability had conciliated with the laws of physics and aerodynamics.
Bowser flew straight towards a wall, pushed himself off it, spun around, and launched a cannonball at Fox. He dodged it by using dash move, leaving behind an after image of himself. Bowser hurried over to Fox, hovering right above him. Like his own shell, Bowser retracted into the clown car; he turned it upside down, releasing a giant iron ball onto the Star Fox pilot's head.
Once again, he used his dash move to avoid being crushed. He turned around to watch the iron ball roll off until hitting a wall, ceasing momentum.
But Fox's confusion over Bowser's impossible maneuvers continued protruding from his mind. "Is anyone going to explain how he's able to carry a giant bowling ball in that thing? What, does it come preinstalled with a pocket dimension?"
"I'd ask him if it wasn't for the whole 'mortal enemies' thing," Luigi said. "Makes it difficult to pick whatever he has in there that constitutes for a brain."
Fox sighed in defeat. "Fair enough."
Sora threw the Keyblade at the Koopa King's head. Bowser pressed a button on the control panel. Malice had debauched the clown car's once jovial countenance; while the wide smile remained unchanged, the car closed it eyes, giving the impression of anger – the same emotion that surged throughout the Koopa King like lightning.
He commanded the car to slam the ground, avoiding Sora's attack in the process. The clown car moves forward, continuing to stomp the ground like a giant's foot, with the intension of crushing Sora beneath its form. The boy ran away, feeling the ground tremble as the car continued chasing him.
Sora leaped onto the nearby wall, defying the laws of physics by standing on it, as if his shoes were Velcro. Bowser flew straight at Sora, delivering a powerful claw attack. The boy deflected it with a swing of the Keyblade. The Koopa King tried again with the opposite hand, thrusting straight at the boy's chest. Sora countered by thrusting the Keyblade upward, at a vertical angle.
Bowser inhaled, preparing to unleash a stream of fire from his throat. The intense heat brushing against Sora's skin ascribed to that posit. He ran along the wall, being chased by the Koopa King's consistent downpour of fire. As the stream weakened, Sora leaped back onto the ground, spun around, and his shoulders tensed from a sudden ailment of distress.
The cannon's singular, unblinking, stolid eye was pointed straight at Sora. Any moment it would launch a heavy, lethal tear at the Keyblade Wielder. Bowser grinned in excitement; soon he would no longer inure the boy's meddling. But any desire for the Koopa King's plans to wend in his direction were inconstant. A familiar egg exploded against his left cheek.
Endued with aggravation, the Koopa King turned around to see Luigi and Yoshi – the dinosaur held another egg in his palm, bouncing it up and down like a ball.
"Is your end goal to give me salmonella with those stupid eggs?" Bowser asked. "Because all they do is tick me off for wasting my time!"
Luigi stuck out his hand. "Freeze!"
A ball of blue energy flew straight at the Koopa King, who moved upward to avoid the blast. Amusement tickled his throat, leading to sonorous laughter.
"Speaking of wasting time," Bowser said. "You ain't getting very far with those little spells if you keep calling out an attack."
But the Koopa King's jovial mood retrograded into a pitfall of concern, as Luigi responded with a confident smirk. "Thanks for the advice. I'll remember that when I want to be on your wavelength of stupidity."
The clown car started tottering about as if in a stupefied, ignominious state. Bowser gripped the sides, holding on with all his might. Interjected by a strong hunch, the Koopa King looked over the car to see that the small propeller was frozen solid.
"Man, I knew I should've opted for the anti-gravity instillation," Bowser said, exasperated. "But they had to upcharge me. ME!? Who upcharges a monarch for their own possessions!?"
Sora unleased a flurry of strikes on the vehicle, engraving its metal skin with damaging scars. He performed a flip, delivering one, final slash that sent Bowser and his vehicle across the room.
Fox enveloped himself in fire, and flew straight at the vehicle with a powerful, scorching kick. "Hi-yah!
The force from the attack was strong enough to knock Bowser into the wall at the far end of the vicinity. With every mechanism damaged from the impact, the car crashed onto the floor, laying on its side like a cup; the car spilled out its contents in the form of Bowser, who fell face first onto the ground. For a moment, all senses were superglued to an immobile sheet of languor, enumerating over how they ended up in this situation.
The group gathered around the Koopa King, keeping their guard obdurate before the entreats of relaxation. Uneasiness kicked against Luigi's chest; he knew this wouldn't be easy. A scion of the first round would take the throne, flaunting its superiority at the group. They had to be ready for its implacable wrath.
"Ha!" Sora said, ringing a bell of confidence. "No more clowning around, Bowser!"
A string of the Koopa King's patience was cut by that arrogant knife. Being humiliating was an anathema he wouldn't endure. Raising his head, Bowser unleashed a fireball right at Sora, who leaped onto the ground to avoid it.
"I can't believe it," Luigi said, in shock. "For the first time in our lives, Bowser and I share something in common!"
"You're lucky we're fighting for our lives right now," Sora said, frowning.
Bowser stood up, brushing the worthless debris off skin, not aggravated in the slightest by the insignificant loss. Why should he be concerned? The greatest power of all was obsequious to almost every desire. He would end the group's sufferance soon, and brand each world with an iron of darkness, making them his personal property.
And claim the remedy of unhappiness all for himself.
"So you trashed my ride," Bowser said with an indifferent shrug. "No biggie. The real fight's about to start. How about a change of scenery? It's a little too depressing here."
He held aloft the Star Rod; its radiant, eminent presence left the darkness reticent, unable to challenge such a powerful light.
"Is that…?" Sora asked.
"Yep!" Luigi said. "We gotta get it out of his claws somehow!"
Bowser let out a sinister smirk, undaunted by the remark. "By all means – risk your lives for it. See what happens." He spun around, tapped the Star Rod against the wall, and created a dark portal. Bowser's smirk never faltered as he backed into the portal, beckoning the group into his dark web in a low, rumbling tone. "Follow me if you have the courage."
The group approached the portal, feeling it breathe on them with a contradiction of hot and cold air. But it felt aggressive, rummaging through their skin, trying to illicit intimation. Sora wouldn't be receptive of its laconic declaration of fear. He had come too far to let his desires dilapidate. How could he save Riku and Kairi if none of them existed?
Logic extrapolated to him that a trap would be waiting for them. But they were perforce to move forward, regardless of the warning.
"Well," Luigi said, as a nervous tick peered out from his throat, "he did say having courage was a perquisite." Everyone glared at him. He sighed in sadness. "I know, I know. Just had to get an excuse out of the way now."
"C'mon, guys," Sora said, with an encouraging tone. "We can do this. Old Smokey Breath has been the source of our problems. This is our chance to never let him bother us or our friends again. We'll be one step closer to bringing things back to the way they were."
Everyone concurred with his sentiment; that truism was contingent on their teamwork. They had trounced all that have wielded a similar power to the Koopa King. This wouldn't be any different, for as long as they their strength was gestalt. Nothing could tear it to shreds. After placing their hands on top of each other, letting out a rousing, "All for one," the group headed for the portal.
Fox couldn't help but feel content in this situation. He missed being in a team. These three weren't just his comrades; they were his friends. Together, they would awaken everyone from the Koopa King's perpetual nightmare.
Upon exiting the portal, the group arrived in a large, dark fortress that, truth be told, was akin to the dour environ of the previous castle. They stepped onto a massive, wide metal bridge that had plenty of room to fit a plethora of vehicles. Large scones were stuck to the gray brick walls, lighting the vicinity, eyeing the four intruders with repine for invading their brooding sanctum.
Also attached to the wall were a few large windows. But no light entered through them; only darkness peered through. Adorned on the wall was a picture of Bowser himself, crossing his arms with a smug expression. As if the admiration for himself wasn't tacit enough, Luigi thought, rolling his eyes.
But this new location was the least of their concerns. Not when the heat had become intense, wrapping its arid presence around them like the thickest sweater ever conceived. Sora pulled on his collar, but it did nothing to alleviate the heat's obstinate grip; it was determined to make a hot puddle from their continuous strands of sweat.
Fox wiped his forehead. "Man, maybe I should join Peppy in that fur trimming session."
Luigi noticed an orange glow coming from beneath the bridge. Looking over the edge, he discovered the source of this sudden heat wave: the entire floor was covered in molten lava. Its bright orange form gurgled in contentment, having a predilection for melting their skin. Uneasiness took a nosedive into his stomach like a plane, exploding on impact.
One false move, and they'd become part of the lethal collage of melting rocks. Everyone heard Bowser's prideful laugh echo throughout the fortress. They turned to see him not too far away from them.
"Aw, what's wrong?" Bowser asked, in a mocking tone. "Are my accommodations not to your liking? Well, you made the choice coming here. Guess courage is analogous to stupidity, huh?" He noticed Luigi looking around the fortress, having been struck in the back of the head with déjà vu. Bowser laughed again. "I take it you finally recognize this place, Mr. Green."
"I have a name, you know!" Luigi said, in exasperation.
Yoshi placed a commiserate arm around Luigi, sighing. "Me understand what it like to be mislabeled. No feel bad."
"You've been here before?" Sora asked, ignoring Yoshi's dilatory.
"Yep," Luigi said. "This is his original fortress." His mind walked through a squalid threshold of unpleasant memories. "Mario and I first fought him here."
The orange light from the lava reflected off the Bowser's sharp, boastful teeth. "Fitting, wouldn't you say? Oh, and don't worry. There's no axe here to make the bridge drop." He crackled his knuckles. "No, I'm going to beat you to a pulp first. It'll be more satisfying once I send you plummeting to your doom!"
Fox raised a bushy eyebrow. "Wait. So you're saying you originally had a mechanism that made this bridge fall. What's…the point of that?"
"It's how we beat him, actually," Luigi said, forming an amused smirk.
Bowser's face turned a bright red from the aver; it was even brighter than the lava beneath the bridge. Being reminded of such a blunder left humiliation as an unwanted shadow following his ego. But he took a deep breath, letting the scintillating glow of his determination make that shadow fade into nothingness. The group could see that spark illuminate his red eyes.
Nothing would stop him from being with his Peach. That monomania kept him afloat against the unruly sea of oppression.
"So what's it matter to ya?" Bowser said, his dark gaze starting to cave in around the group, making them feel uneasy. "I was young and foolish. I've grown from experience. Especially from accepting the darkness's power. It's opened my eyes to what matters most. Amateur mistakes like that will never happen again, as long as I focus on my one true goal."
He bent his knees, as if preparing the to jump. His body was coated with an iron will both Luigi and Yoshi had never seen before. He would do whatever it takes to be with the princess. Even if he had to utter the imprecation of sacrifice.
"And you boys will never get a chance to experience any sort of similar growth when I'm done with you!" Bowser said, with a fierce shout. "It's….showtime!"
Sora felt the heat of Bowser's furious words sting against his skin like needles. It was all similar: the obsession, the disregard for everyone and everything around him. The darkness's imperceptible, insipid tongue cajoled the Koopa King with false promises. Just like with Riku. The darkness was making an ominous statement – that its power was insurmountable, even to those who believed they were sedulous in taming such an element.
It was a wild, violent mare that galloped throughout existence donning a blazing headcollar; none could grasp it in order to gain control of the beast's prodigious fortitude. They would be doused in the flames of its rage. For a while, they would feel empowered, but then the flames would consume them, becoming parts of its being.
Sora felt infinitesimal pity for Bowser. No one was safe from the darkness. It prayed on every desire, growing stronger until satiated, and dried the user of their very essence. But that pity plummeted through a garbage chute of contempt. Everything the Koopa King had done could never be exculpated; every untoward action was still of his own volition. The darkness wasn't an excuse for the miserable dross Bowser inundated on everyone.
Sora and his friends wouldn't be trammeled by their consciences; not when everything was on the line.
Bowser jumped a few feet into the air, and stomped the ground, producing a powerful earthquake. White shockwaves discharged from his feet, crackling with electricity. Everyone hopped over them. Sora leaped forward, delivering a horizontal slash. But Bowser deflected it with his claws. Taking his opposite hand, Bowser prepared a downward strike.
Sora brought his blade up at a diagonal angle to block the claws. He went on the offense, swinging at Bowser's face, but the Koopa King leaned back to dodge it. Next, Bowser spun around, attacking with his tail. Sora leaped back just in time. Nervous sweat joined the ensemble that was already pouring from the heat. Speed was not hindered by his bulky size.
Sora only had a smattering of the Koopa King's power (especially from his previous fight against the paper version). Still, he had to be careful. One wrong move was a fatal presage. Sora launched a Blizzard Spell at Bowser, who leaned left to avoid it. He opened his mouth, unleashing a giant fireball. Sora leaped into the air before becoming scorched in its lethal form.
The boy retaliated by tossing the Keyblade straight at him. Bowser turned around, deflecting the strike with his shell – a mighty, indestructible shield he carried since inception. Breaking through it would be simple, like a woodpecker poking at cement. They had to find an opening within his vulnerable side when opportunity beetled a lightbulb overhead.
Bowser spun around to see Luigi and Fox preparing to attack with their weapons. With a confident smirk, the Koopa King withdrew into his shell as they struck, spun around, and knocked their weapons upward; they were victims of momentary immobilization. Bowser popped out from his shield, and kicked Fox in the stomach, knocking him back a great distance.
He then turned around to elbow Luigi, who blocked it with the head of his hammer. Luigi tried countering with inward strike; Bowser rotated an arm upward, blocking the attack with the spike collar on his wrist. Taking a deep breath, he was prepared to unleash a stream of fire, leaving the Mario Brothers status forever divided.
Luigi leaped high into the air before that prophecy came to pass; he brought his hammer down in retaliation. Bowser caught the attack with the Star Rod. Imperceptible, unlimited power flowed throughout its form.
Bowser smirked. "Good think I'm not disappointed. Because this is exactly what I expected from baby brother."
Unleashing a burst of energy from the rod, Bowser knocked Luigi backwards. Fortunately, he regained control of himself and landed on his feet. Bowser would not let him receive respite's approbation. He leaped high into the air; darkness polished his once bright, white claws with pitch black lacquer. Bowser swung both arms across each other, unleashing a giant 'X' of dark energy.
Luigi slid onto his back to dodge the blast. He noticed Yoshi gesturing for him. The dinosaur curled into his egg form. With a powerful swing from his hammer, Luigi knocked the egg straight to the Koopa King. Bowser braced himself by crossing both arms across his face; he caught the eggs and pushed it away, knocking Yoshi onto the ground.
Fox lunged forward with an over-the shoulder the strike. Bowser leaned left to avoid being engraved with the strength of the pilot's vengeance. He tried countering with a claw swipe, but Fox thrusted the blunt of the staff, deflecting the attack. Fox's next course involved another thrust; this time with the staff's tip, straight at the Koopa King's face. Bowser raised an arm, catching the attack with the spike collar on his wrist.
Frustration slipped through the cracks of Fox's clenched teeth like fumes. Bowser's speed wasn't discouraged from the girth of his size; it persevered in overcoming such restraining shortcomings. Fox drew his pistol, only for the Koopa King to knock it aside with his massive hand. Bowser delivered a tail swipe, but Fox leaped over it, rolled onto the ground, and retrieved his forsaken firearm.
With rapid presses of the trigger, Fox fired energy beams, and Bowser deflected them by using his shell. Fox continued barraging the organic fortress with ineffectual blasts. But it was a distractive drawing in the spontaneous blueprint they formed. Sora hurried over and slashed right at Bowser's side. The Koopa King responded with a roar of anguish, causing even the lava underneath them to flit around in fearful discourse.
Bowser pressed a massive hand against his side, quelling the restless pain. He turned to Sora; his livid red eye locked onto him like threatening beacons. "Kid, I'm extremely close to losing my patience with you."
"Jokes on you," Sora said, staring back at the Koopa King, with lens of fortitude bedimming his intimidating glare. "I've lost my patience with YOU after what you did to Riku. Try to keep up!"
That fortitude pushed Sora forward with the strength of a long, wide, indestructible elastic band, and he used his dash attack. Unfortunately, Bowser's reaction time just managed to lap Sora's in a race for survival; he hid in his pleasant, iron sanctuary that was his shell as Sora kept dashing back and forth. Each strike of the Keyblade was ineffective, like cracking coconuts with a butter knife.
As Sora prepared for another attack, Bowser left his impenetrable safe haven, and smacked the boy in the face, knocking him onto the ground. The Koopa King stomped over to the boy with fast, heavy steps. Sora sat up, ignoring the pain that prostrated across his cheek, pinching the receptors with unrelenting pain.
Bowser loomed over him, leaned back, and prepared to crush the boy underneath his rough chest.
Sticking out his hand, Sora shouted, "Stop!"
The Koopa King was frozen within the spell's imperceptible grasp. But the fingers couldn't hold their grip for long. Sora noticed Bowser's body trembling, as if melting the spell through the heat of sheer will. The boy hurried to his feet and leaped back, as the Koopa King liberated himself from the spell, crashing onto the floor.
Sora hurried to strike, but Bowser launched another fireball at him. He hopped to his left to avoid the blast. Slamming both fists into the ground, Bowser managed to push himself up, and landed right on his feet. As Sora went in for an upward, diagonal strike, Bowser caught it with the Star Rod. Giving the mental command, Bowser used its power to push Sora backwards.
"So, you wanna play sword fight, huh?" Bowser morphed the Star Rod into a large sword. The hilt was brown; the rod's symbol had been placed in the middle; and the blade had been daubed with the darkness' cold, thick fur. The once ethereal artifact was now servile towards its ineffable power. "Then come get some!"
Bowser swung his blade, unleashing a dark energy beam. Sora had to make a hard lean right to dodge it. He then tossed the Keyblade at a vertical angle, like a buzzsaw. Bowser caught the Keyblade with the effort of raising a finger. However, it continued spinning against his blade; golden tears in the form of sparks cried out in agony.
Looking over his shoulder, he saw Yoshi hurrying over to attack. Sinister desire hoisted his mouth to form a grin. "Here, go fetch!"
He spun around, sending the Keyblade straight at the dinosaur. With no time to dodge, Yoshi deflected it with his shield. But the force was strong enough to make him slide backwards. Fox ran forward, thrusting straight at the Koopa King's chest. Bowser – while holding the hilt with both hands – swung upward at a diagonal angle, deflecting the strike.
Luigi leaped at Bowser's face, swinging his hammer downward. But Bowser held the blade at a horizontal angle (with one hand gripping the blade's tip), and caught the attack. Luigi hopped back to rebalance himself. Fox tried a sweep attack towards Bowser's foot, but he lifted it to dodge the strike.
Luigi returned with an inward swing. This time, Bowser planted the tip of his blade into the ground, allowing it to catch the hammer's head. Fox came in with an inward swing; Bowser stepped back, spun around, and avoided the strike. As he turned around to face the two, Bowser swung his blade upward, deflecting a downward swing from Luigi.
The Koopa King's fury avowed its continued rampage, not conceding until the group only existed as a memory. And even then, he would erase their visages from the whiteboard of his mind. Bowser swung inward towards Fox, who held the staff up at vertical angle, blocking the attack.
Luigi tried attacking again, but Bowser brought the blade upward – at a diagonal angle – blocking the strike. Both Fox and Luigi combined their forces into a powerful downward attack. But Bowser was quick to block. Unleashing energy from the rod, he knocked the duo back to the hindmost area of the bridge.
Yoshi wrapped his tongue around Bowser's hand, hoping to disarm the Star Rod. But, no matter how hard the dinosaur pulled, Bowser would not budge. Sheer tenacity was drilled straight into his feet.
"Is there not one attack you possess that makes me want pour sanitizer on myself?" Bowser asked, repulsed.
He pulled Yoshi forward, forcing the dinosaur onto the ground, and prepared another fireball. But before his throat could give the command, a great weight pressed against his shoulders. Looking up, he saw the Gravity spell trying to push him into the ground as he were a peg. Bowser looked over his shoulder with furious eyes, seeing Sora as the unwanted variable in the formula of victory.
"Think your little spell can contain my awesomeness?" Bowser said, somewhat struggling against the spell. "Guess I have to show you again, to get those little bugs inside your headspace moving in terror!"
Once again conjuring the Star Rod's power, he managed to obliterate the spell, and unleash the fire spell. However, the diversion allowed Yoshi to accumulate some time, dodging the blast before it could hit him. With patience unable to maintain its grip on a tranquil precipice, Bowser angrily jumped high above Sora's head, retreated into his shell, and turned upside down.
The boy leaped back to avoid the lethal combo of being crushed and punctured at the same time. After slamming into the ground, Bowser needed a moment to exit his shell. Sora hurried over, holding the Keyblade with both hands, and prepared to strike. But Bowser's head popped out, and he launched a fireball. The boy rolled to avoid becoming ashes, which would be strewn across the environ by the Koopa King's spiteful breath.
Bowser stood up, ran forward, and delivered a downward swing; Sora deflected it with an upward, diagonal slash. Despite the odds looking down upon the group in disdain, Sora would never quit; not until his heart took one, final inconsolable pump. He had Riku and Kairi's fate hefted onto his shoulder's like a backpack, refusing to lose them.
Bowser tried an inward strike. Holding the hilt with both hands, Sora thrusted the Keyblade straight up – at a horizontal angle – to catch the attack. Then, he pushed Bowser's blade up using the Keyblade's hilt. Sora thrusted towards Bowser's face, but he was quick to rotate his blade with both hands until the tip pointed at the ground, deflecting the attack.
Bowser raised his blade with one hand and brought it straight, to cut Sora into two. But the boy caught it with the Keyblade, at a horizontal angle. The Koopa King leaned over, ramming his head straight into Sora, knocking him onto the ground. Before Bowser could excommunicate Sora's being from the chapel of existence, Luigi leaped onto his green head.
Bowser growled in frustration. "No, please. You do a good job humiliating yourself already. Don't make me become a contributor to such a cause!"
The Koopa King tried swiping at Luigi, but he leaped off, landing in front of him, with his back turned. As Bowser tried swinging towards Luigi, he thrusted his hammer's head over the shoulder, deflecting the strike. Luigi spun around, delivering a low sweep to the feet with his hammer. But Bowser hopped over the attack.
The two then clashed their weapons together. But there was no stalemate, as it favored Bowser's success. He started pushing Luigi backwards; his legs wobbled as they struggled against the immense force. Any second they would snap like twigs. Bowser's sweltering breath combed through every hair on Luigi's face. The smell of flames grew closer, clogging the clean airway of Luigi's nostrils.
Luigi started into Bowser's red eyes; they looked back, showing a conflation of rage and disdain. Especially towards him. The useless younger brother of a great hero. He didn't deserve the title of Mario Brother. Born from the same strand, yet imperfect in design. Every fiber of Bowser's irises enumerated that harangue.
But Luigi wasn't amenable to such pessimistic, hurtful words. No, something snapped inside of him, like a mouse trap, snapping its fierce jaws down on the negativity. He was tired of the disrespect – tried to being labeled as worthless. Deep down, he was somebody – a person that had the power to make a difference. And no amount of verbal degrading could demolish who he was on the inside: strong, independent, and brave.
In that moment, those attributes awoke from their residence of lassitude. He would show Bowser why he was formidable like his brother. Receiving a deluge of adrenaline, Luigi released one hand, still holding his position, pressed it against Bowser's wrist, and unleashed the Thunder spell.
Bowser yelped as the surge glided with ungraceful skates. The fire ant bit back against the aardvark. The Koopa King's pride would not be labeled with the mark of opprobrium. Especially from Mario's timid brother. But before he could retaliate, Luigi slammed the hammer right into the side of Bowser's face; his cheek bone trembled from the powerful hit.
Continuing his crusade of fortitude, Luigi kicked the Koopa King right in the stomach. Air erupted from his mouth like the spasmodic burst of a geyser. In response, he clutched his stomach, trying to quell the irate pang that thrashed around inside him.
"I got this one!" Fox said.
He instructed Yoshi to use his shield as a makeshift platform. With a compliant nod, the dinosaur leaned over and place the shield above his head. Fox hopped onto it, leaped off, and flew high into the air. Upon reaching the peak of the jump, he enveloped himself in fire once again.
Bowser stood up, still groaning from the attack. He was about to adduce over why no dares humiliate him when Fox shouted, "Hi-ya!" and thrusted both feet into the back of the Koopa King's head. While Fox's burning feet yielded little damage, the force was strong enough to knock Bowser straight onto the ground.
Fox jumped off Bowser's head, and landed next Luigi. Their teamwork had fain fate to give them an advantage. It was imperative that they didn't waste it.
"Sora, blast him!" Luigi said, shouting in urgency.
Sora pointed the Keyblade at Bowser, preparing his spiral attack. Everyone moved a safe distance, to not become a participant in the forthcoming lethal parade. Bowser stood back up, rubbing his head, groaning. His eyes were soon drawn to a bright, sphere shaped light emitting from the Keyblade.
Trembling from the energy's max compacity, Sora launched the blast. Bowser gasped in shock for the first time in the battle. He had no time to dodge it. His only response was to brace himself. The attack made a direct hit, causing a miniature explosion to engulf the Koopa King. It wasn't too long before the commotion started composing itself.
Everyone waited in anxious silent; the only noise heard was the postulations clamoring in their heads. Did they win? Did that final attack do any damage? Unfortunately, those questions would not receive even a stint of good news. A beam of flashing, rainbow lights pierced through the dust and debris' forehead; it soared straight into the sky, confiscating the domino mask of darkness that concealed the gray ceiling's appearance.
Bowser unveiled himself from the smoky curtains; his entire body was glazed in the same flashing colors. Not a single scratch left a less than flattering indent on his toned skin. He stood before them with a smug expression, flaunting his transparent, indestructible armor.
Bowser laughed. "Was that supposed to be an attack!? Pathetic. Stepping on my kid's toys has hurt me more."
"Whoa! What did he just do!?" Sora asked, in shock. "He completely tanked that hit!"
"He's made himself invincible," Luigi said, panicked. "There's nothing we do can harm him."
Suddenly, everyone heard the familiar, cordial tone of Eldstar. Although, at the moment, it fizzed from a sudden concoction of exigency. "Young ones, you must call on us now! We can use our power to neutralize the Star Rod!"
"Understood." Sora turned to the others. "Keep him busy! I'll summon them!"
Sora pointed the Keyblade straight at the Koopa King. He focused on the energy from the spells swimming around through his being. It wasn't long before they became a concourse, supplicating for their hosts assistance with a glimmering flare. The Star Spirits answered the call, descending from the sky in a circle, and placing Sora within it.
They started orbiting around him. Sora felt their warm presence wrap around his chest, as if providing a soothing hug. For a moment, every stressful thought evaporated into a gentlestream. It caressed his entire being. He had never felt such peace before; it was like taking a hot shower. And yet, he felt an incredible boost of strength inspiriting every sense with a rallying cry.
Bowser, on the other hand, had been struck by a bolt of absolute dread. He knew what they were planning; it took the form of a bulldozer, starting to move right towards the elegant, ivory tower of success. He had to stop its pilgrimage of destruction. Or else all he had done would be for naught.
Recapitulations of his past failures were listed in front of him. He didn't want to relive them. To experience the pain of failure again, and lose his Peach in the process.
"No," Bowser said, with a dark glare that pierced through his eyes like sharp, imperishable daggers. "Not this time." He let out a bellowing roar that echoed throughout the vicinity, puncturing the sound barrier with pure rage. "You won't get a chance!"
Sora opened his eye in surprise, and saw the Koopa King storming right towards him; not once did the cufflinks of sight disconnect. The Keyblade started flashing with the color of the Star Spirit's mystical skin. But he could sense that the neutralizing spell was incomplete. He needed more time.
Fortunately, his friends were ardent donators to the charity.
Fox used his dash move to stand in front of the Koopa King's path. "Hold up, flame boy! You still got an able-bodied contender to deal with!"
"Is that so?" Bowser cracked his knuckles. In a deep, menacing tone, he said, "Then we better remedy that ailment with a healthy dose of paralysis."
Bowser tried slamming his fist on top of Fox, but he sidestepped just in time. Using the dash move again, Fox reappeared right in front of Bowser's stomach, and thrusted the staff right into it. No effect. Not even a small depression. Bowser's body was immune to the damaging shards of pain.
He dematerialized the Star Rod, outstretched both arms, and prepared to slap his hands together. Fox leaped back just before getting sandwiched between them. However, it released a shockwave that knocked Fox onto the ground. Bowser hurried to stop Sora from sedulously unscrewing the bolt in his grand scheme.
Luigi and Yoshi both tackled the Koopa King, clutching onto his shoulders. He flailed them around in hopes of loosening their grip. But they had the strength of an eagle's talon, not once letting their grip falter. Sora could feel the Star Spirit's power reach its peak; he channeled his own energy into their, hoping it'll do significant damage.
Bowser continued fighting against duo. His eyes widened horror as the Star Spirits' ritual was about to reach its climax. The image of the princess flashed across his mind. She was being carried away from him again. Her warm, nurturing presence faded, leaving him to freeze within a glacier cave of loneliness.
Sure, this was a cycle he experienced on a regular basis, but losing someone or something can leave a plaintive hole in our chest. We feel incomplete without that component; it beseeches us with gaiety. And he couldn't spend every waking hour with that perversion of sorrow perambulating throughout his heart.
Motivated by that potential return to a miserable era, Bowser knocked Luigi and Yoshi off of him. There was no one left to stop him. Victory was close to perching on his shoulder, giving him a weight of joy. Panic ascended Sora's neck with the speed of a missile. No. Just a little more time. The energy was close to the summit.
But Bowser had waited too long for eternal happiness. He wouldn't squander this future from returning to a sound sleep within the pages of fiction. Bowser stomped over towards the boy; Sora's body shook from each determined step.
"Say good-bye, kid!" Bowser said, prepared to claim his medal of triumph.
But the ribbon carrying it soon snapped in half.
Yoshi rose to his feet; he threw his shield right in front of the Koopa King. Before he could realize, Bowser stepped on the shield and slipped onto his back. He looked upside down to see the dinosaur sticking his tongue out at him.
"You worthless little donkey!" Bowser said, furious.
Yoshi glowered in response at the pejorative. "Me a dinosaur! Gosh! Do me have to make a 'diaphragm' to compare!?"
"You're lucky I'm a dad," Bowser said, trying to stand up in a hurry, "because I could've called you by the less than flattering version of that name."
Bowser was able to stand up, but his chance for success had grown too impatient. Sora felt incredible energy surging through him. This ongoing conflict was to reach its conclusion; no longer would it need to be bookmarked, reminding Sora of the toil Bowser put him through.
Sora raised the Keyblade into the air with both hands. "This one's for Riku and Kairi!"
A beam of light slammed itself straight down on the Koopa King; he was engulfed within its beaming form. Bowser screamed in pain as Sora's own power damaged him in the processes. The others rejoined Sora as the light faded moments later. Bowser's invincible cloak had been disrobed from his body. Burning pain went on a joyride throughout his muscles.
For a moment, he was in a state of torpor. Even with the power of darkness on his side, he was struggling. Everything he had worked towards was starting to topple over. He couldn't lose her again – to heft the sorrow on his shoulder like a sack full iron. The group now had the advantage. This was their chance to cease the source of their problems for good.
Sora looked at Luigi; he could see indignation delineated on his face. It represented constant toil that Bowser had brought upon him and his loved ones. Especially his brother. Out of everyone here, Luigi wanted to liberate his world from the Koopa King's continuous rampage. To let its denizens reach a state of peace; they would never again walk through life with the stigma of distress.
"Luigi, go for it!" Sora said in encouragement. "Do it for your brother!"
With a grateful nod, Luigi hopped onto Yoshi's back, brandishing his hammer. Not an inch of reluctance ruined his concentration this time. He was representing the citizens of the Mushroom Kingdom. But he was also doing it for himself. To see if he deserved to share the same podium as his brother. With confidence in his tone, he commanded Yoshi to move forward.
Regaining some of his strength, Bowser glared at the two. "I refuse to be beaten by Mario's wimpy brother!"
And so he tried hitting the two with fireballs. Yoshi managed to dodge each and ever one. Luigi was in range of Bowser. Emotions ambushed his heart from every direction, causing it to pound with the force of an earthquake. But he ignored the feeling; his focus right now on was winning. He leaped off Yoshi and slammed his hammer straight into Bowser's head. His entire skull trembled against its might.
Luigi pushed himself into the air and spun around like a top. As he descended, he smacked Bowser from the face to the lower abdomen. After landing, he tossed his hammer aside; next, he delivered two punches to the stomach, followed by a kick. Luigi summoned Gravity to make Bowser lean over, allowing him to deliver an inward kick.
With the opposite foot, Luigi kicked straight into his forehead. But the flurry of combos had only reached its second verse. Luigi delivered a punch to the cheek, then kneeled over, and unleashed his charge attack straight in the jaw. The power behind the uppercut knocked Bowser over onto his back again.
This perfect symphony of attacks was about to hit the outro. Luigi stared at Bowser's tails. He took a deep breath, keeping his nerves submerged. What he was about to do was beyond difficult. Only his brother had defeated Bowser in this forthcoming manner before. This was his chance to prove that he was no longer a shadow. Instead, he would become his brother's equal, worthy of the Mario name.
After cracking his knuckles, Luigi gripped Bowser's tail. He called upon every ounce of strength his body, and began swinging Bowser around, growing faster with each second. Yoshi's eyes brightened in pure excitement about see Luigi repeat his brother's signature finishing move. But Fox and Sora stared with mouths a gaped. Sora thought he had seen it all, but the impossible had a prepossession for proving logic wrong.
Once Luigi had gained enough speed, he said, "So long-a-Bowser!" and tossed the Koopa King out towards the lava. At the same time, the Star Rod (still in its blade form) flew out from Bowser's body and landed on the other side of the bridge. Bowser's screams of dismay were soon silenced by the loud splash of the lava.
It was over. Light had prevailed…
….but it was only an intermission. Act II of his rampage was about to ensue.
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