-Chapter 44-
Interlude of Evil I
As the Marine Pop cut through the ocean, Mario checked Peach's condition. Daisy sat off to the side, sighing before looking up
"We did it, Mom." she mused. "We managed to save one of the kings. I wish you coulda seen it. I think you woulda been real proud."
Off to the side, MP was on the phone with Bowser.
"Yeah, I have several in my bag... a magic satchel thing... Yeah, they seem okay. One actually helped me out. A 'Blue Spiny Shell' according to Daisy. I'll need a list of the different shell types later... Sweet, thanks. Also, I got warned about some new bill that recently got passed. Wasn't able to get any details, but it's apparently bad news for Koopas... No, don't send someone. It's too risky... Yeah, I'll keep them safe until then. See you soon."
She hung up, opening her bag.
"Just hang tight, you guys. I promise it won't be long."
Mario reentered at that.
"What's the word, bro?" Luigi asked.
"Sebas says Peach's condition is stable. She hasn't woken up yet, though."
MP sighed. "I wish there was more we could do."
"Peach is as tough as they come," Luigi assured. "She'll be alright."
Daisy sighed, rubbing her forehead. "It's times like this I wish I'd got some of Mom's Heart Power too..."
MP turned to her. "What is Heart Power? I know it, like, snapped me out of my Lame Brain funk, but that's it."
"It's a type of healing power," Daisy explained. "One of the strongest sources of Star Power in the world."
"Star… Power?"
Daisy raised an eyebrow at that. "Seriously? They don't have Star Power where you're from?"
"Only for Uber ratings," MP replied.
"What's an Uber?"
"H-Hey Daisy!" Luigi cut in. "You mentioned Peach's Heart Power comes from your Mom?"
Daisy nodded. "Mmhmm! Queen Gardenia."
At that, MP perked. "Oh! The Knight Queen! I know about her!"
That got her a surprised look from everyone. Seeing this, MP rolled her eyes.
"I wasn't just running around as the Blue Hood while I was with the Dark Lands. Rule #1 of being in an isekai: Research the new world. History, currency, common sense, learn how things work, what to expect, etc. History is a big thing, so you know who to respect. And always learn both sides of any story. Especially if it involves royalty or the church."
"Man, that Shield Hero story really screwed with you," Mario muttered.
"Malty deserved her new name and it never should have gotten as far as it did!" After briefly shocking everyone with the venom in her words, she cleared her throat. "Anyway… Gardenia was a commoner woman from the Flower Kingdom, the daughter of a traveling merchant. She came to the Mushroom Kingdom to sell her wares; but while she was there, the kingdom was invaded by Morton Koopa Sr."
"Morton Sr.?" Mario asked.
"Bowser's dad, the previous Koopa King, and pure evil incarnate," Daisy explained with a shudder.
"Yeah…" MP winced before snapping out of it. "Anyway, Morton and his dreaded armies invaded the kingdom, demanding they surrender and become part of his empire. When they refused, he sacked the city, ending the game of every soldier who crossed his path. He even managed to make it all the way to the castle! But then, when all hope seemed lost, Gardenia did the unthinkable: she took up a fallen soldier's blade and challenged him to a duel for control of the kingdom… and won!"
Mario and Luigi's eyes widened in awe.
"Whoa…"
"Wowee…"
"Yeah," MP nodded. "They said that her body glowed with a 'rose-colored light' in the shape of an ornate heart, and that it gave her incredible power. Enough to not only overpower Morton, but revive those he'd slain!"
That got shocked looks from everyone.
"Defeated, disgraced, and outnumbered by the newly restored Mushroom Forces, Morton and his army were forced to return to the Dark Lands in shame. As for Gardenia, for her bravery and skill, she was knighted. With time, she became a respected general, earning the recognition and affection of King Truffle Toadstool. They got married, and she became Queen of the Mushroom Kingdom."
"She was the best warrior in all the lands," Daisy mused, smiling. "Everything I do, all I train for... is to be like her."
"She sounds amazing," Luigi marveled. "Where is she? Do you think we can meet her?"
Daisy slumped, sighing. "She's... She's gone. Her game ended about three years ago."
"Oh…" Luigi let out in surprise. "I'm so sorry."
"What happened?" Mario questioned.
Daisy shook her head. "I don't wanna talk about it. Not now..."
MP nodded solemnly. "Understandable. That kind of thing isn't easy to talk about."
Daisy took a deep breath, deciding to change the subject.
"Hey, MP, right? You mind if I ask you something?"
"Yeah, what's up?"
"Why are you so buddy-buddy with Bowser? You know who and what he is, right? Self-styled Demon King? Ruler of the Dark Lands? Leader of the Koopa Troop? The guy who plotted a big revenge scheme to kill your brothers because they stopped his plans and gave him a lava bath? And who not too long ago nearly toppled seven kingdoms at the same time?"
MP nodded. "Yeah, I know what he is. He was honest with me from day one. He's the Demon King, the villain in this symphony, that whole thing. And for the record, he never really put that much effort into actively ending my brothers' games."
"That's-a true," Luigi admitted.
"Right," Mario confirmed. "Only the Bob-omb incident really counts."
"So? He still almost conquered the world!" Daisy pointed out. "He made countless people suffer! Games ended, you guys! FOREVER! He's an evil, egg-sucking son of a snake!"
"I'm well aware of that," MP replied. "He described himself with those very words."
"Would you please take this seriously!?"
"I am. Do you not remember what I said? About getting both sides to every story?"
Daisy paused. "Y-Yeah…?"
"Here's another tale from the history books," MP began, looking Daisy right in the eyes. "Did you know that Koopas have been discriminated against for centuries? Treated like second-class citizens? Considered lesser beings?"
Daisy winced at that label. "W-Well, in some places, sure…"
"And did you know that they were banished to the Dark Lands by one of your ancestors?" MP cut in, causing Daisy to turn red.
"Q-Queen Pesca was a…!"
"And did you know that the first war between the Koopas and the Toads was because of a misunderstanding? A young Koopa found Prince Mycos lost and brought him home…" Her expression darkened. "Only to be struck down as a monster for 'kidnapping' the prince!"
"Okay, okay!" Daisy practically shrieked. "Maybe there are two sides to every story! But that doesn't justify all the pain Bowser and his father have caused and are causing in the here and now!"
"I'm not denying that," MP said. "Morton Sr. was a monster, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Bowser is a villain, too; he admits it. However, even after all these years, nothing's changed." She held up her bag. "The Koopas in my bag are proof of that. Bowser's just trying to make a world where his people don't have to be afraid, where his kids can live somewhere not full of lava and ruin."
Daisy winced guiltily but shook it off.
"Yeah, well… he's doing it by living up to all the bad press. You can spin it however you like, but Bowser and his followers chose to be evil, pillaging scumbags."
"Did they? Or were they even given a choice?"
"Of course they did! They could have been diplomatic! Approached us to talk! But no! They send airships to raze places and collect protection money! Yeah, Bowser's not as bad as his old man, but he sure as hell isn't good!"
"Daisy..."
"You can spin it all you want, Mary Pat, but Bowser is pure evil. As we speak, he's off in his dark, evil castle in his dark, evil kingdom cookin' up all kinds of dark, evil schemes in his dark, evil brain at this very moment."
The Dark Lands - Bowser's Study
"Yeah, hey, Gigantaburger? I'd like to place an order for delivery," Bowser said as he reclined in his chair. "Ten Megaburgers, hold the mayo. Two extra mustard. Three without cheese. Four with Chilly Fries, the rest with regular. And nine Koopa Kolas - no ice! And one Chili Shake. To Bowser's Castle in the Dark Lands." He paused for a moment. "Oh, and a Junior Cryptid's Meal, and don't skimp on the toy this time," He leaned closer to the phone, his tone suddenly changing to menacing. "Or else…"
"Y-Yes, Your Rottenness!" the teenage clerk replied frantically. "We'll bring it over right away!"
Bowser glared at the phone, listening to the poor wage slave whimper in fear. He did this for about ten seconds…
"Alright then," he replied casually, his expression softening. "See ya in a bit."
And with that, he hung up.
"Ooooof… Good Grambi…"
The Koopa King slumped over onto his desk, knocking over one of the many stacks of books, scrolls, and other documents that littered the top. A fancy, glass bottle of red liquid labeled 'Chuckola Cola' sat on a stand next to him, about halfway drained of its contents. He had been pouring over them almost non-stop ever since Mary Pat Mario had informed him of the presence of Bombshell Koopas in Sarasaland. An impressive feat for him, as Bowser - while not an illiterate boob - never had an affinity for research and academics.
"Uuuuuugh… my achin'... think-meats… How do Kammy and her brother do this every day?" He grabbed the Chuckola Cola bottle and took a deep swig. When he finished, he let out a soft giggle as red bubbles floated around him. "Well, at least I only have to go through all this."
"Father!"
Bowser looked from his desk to see Ludwig, Wendy, and Morton walk in and scowled. Not because he wasn't happy to see them, far from it. It was more what they had brought with them.
"Father, we've managed to procure more records and tips from our allies inside Sarasaland," Ludwig explained, motioning to a large stack of books and papers in a wagon Morton was pulling. "Hopefully, this will help us find out what's going on there."
"Spoke too soon." Bowser sighed, rolling his eyes. "Put it with the rest, boys. I'll look over them after the Megaburger gets here."
"Wunderbar!" Ludwig replied, grinning and rubbing his hands gleefully.
As he and Morton began unloading the new papers, Wendy stepped forward with another, smaller stack.
"These are the Missing Person's reports for all Koopas currently out," she explained, handing them to her father. It was a small stack, but still larger than it should be. "Unfortunately, these are the only reported ones. You know how people are about Koopas."
"Yeah…" Bowser replied with a grimace, both at Wendy's report and in anticipation of Morton going on another of his wild tangents. When he didn't, he looked over to his second eldest child and found him dutifully helping Ludwig put the papers away, quiet as a ghostmouse.
…uh-oh.
"What about you, Morton?" Bowser began awkwardly. "You're being...uncharacteristically quiet."
"Oh!" Morton perked. "Uhhhh… I... don't got nothin'. Ludwig and Wendy did most of the bookwork. I just carried the stuff. We all know I'm only slightly smarter than Lemmy and Roy, right? Plus, all I'm really good at is running my big mouth, right?"
Bowser's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing.
In addition to his overwhelming strength and boundless lust for power, Bowser was known far and wide for his blunt and direct manner. He had little interest in status or titles other than his and his family's, and never minced words or held back what he thought of things… regardless of one's feelings; even toward his own children. If they did or were doing something stupid or wrong, he told them up front what it was. But just because he didn't believe in sparing peoples' feelings didn't mean he was ignorant of them. He would go to war if someone dared to hurt any of his kids, and right now, Morton was clearly upset. Given the recent events, and the demons of the past that had been brought up, Bowser had a pretty good idea of why.
He cleared his throat. "Ludwig," he called out.
"Sir?"
"Where are Roy and Lemmy? I know Iggy and Junior are off in the lab but weren't those two supposed to be helping you three?"
Ludwig nodded. "They were. But it… Ahem! Quickly became apparent that they… well…"
"They got bored and started pitching a fit," Wendy finished, showing who inherited their father's aforementioned attitude.
"Thank you… Wendy," Ludwig replied flatly before getting back on track. "But yes, they rapidly lost interest. So, we decided to give them a job more… suited to their strengths."
Ludwig gave his father a knowing grin as he swished his wrist about in a circle; a grin his father mirrored as he winked.
"Morton!" Bowser called out as he picked up the bottle of Chuckola Cola. "Get this bottle back to the cola cellar, would you?"
Morton nodded wordlessly as he went to take the bottle.
"And on the way, get your brothers and tell 'em the food's gonna be here in a few minutes."
Morton silently nodded once more as made for the exit.
"Poor Morty…" Wendy sighed. "This whole thing has him on edge. It's like… he's back to how he was while Grandpa was… around."
Ludwig shuddered, clutching his arm. "I'd forgotten how… scary it was when Morton was silent. Everything just feels… wrong."
"Don't you worry about him, you two," Bowser replied nonchalantly. "Ol' Morty will be back to old, insufferably yacking self in no time."
Meanwhile…
Morton made his way down the castle halls, his head hanging low; gaze fixed on the black and white checkerboard floors. Much like the second-born prince, the halls were quiet; a rare and honestly unnatural occurrence… also like the second-born prince. For as long as anyone could remember, there was always some kind of noise echoing through these gray-bricked, dimly-lit corridors. The clangorous footsteps of Koopatrols. Thunderous explosions and mad cackling from the labs. Screams of anguish from tormented prisoners. Diabolical organ music. And in the event it ever was quiet, one could always count on Morton Koopa Jr. to be there to utterly destroy it.
But for the past day, even he couldn't think of a thing to say. His thoughts were in another place and time. A place and time he preferred not to talk about; that nobody in the castle preferred to talk about. A place and time when such silence was the norm. A place and time…
SPLAT!
"Huh?"
Morton looked down and found that he'd stepped into a large, booger green globule of… something he didn't recognize and likely didn't want to.
"Oh, ew!" he cried out, hopping about as he tried to shake the… stuff off his foot…
SPLORT!
…only to end up sticking his other foot into a big, slippery puddle of black ink.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" he shouted, flailing his arms about as he tried to keep his balance. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough and he lost his footing; flipping into the air and landing on his back with a thud.
"Owwww…" Morton groaned as he forced himself back up. "What the heck!?"
He looked down at the mess he'd found himself in. "Where'd all this crud come…from?"
It was then that he saw the rest of the hallway. The immaculate, well-ordered white and black squares looked like an abstract splat painting; splotches and globs and puddles of varying colors scattered about as far as the eye could see.
"What the…?"
"Ooooooooh…blast it all!"
Morton perked as a high-pitched screech echoed through the castle. A screech he knew all too well. He made his way down the hall, making sure to avoid stepping in any more gunk until he reached a corner. Carefully peeking around said corner, he found himself staring down a scene that everyone had witnessed at least once in the preceding weeks since Mary Pat's brainwashing.
"I can't believe I'm scrubbing all the stupid floors in this stupid castle with a stupid toothbrush!" Kamek ranted as he did just that. "ME! The Court Wizard! Of all the indignity! I raised that brat for twenty-plus years and THIS is the thanks I get!?"
"W-Well, what'd you expect?" Kieran stammered from across the hall as he mopped up a pool of squeezy cheese. "You broke one of King Bowser's biggest decrees..."
"That was a rhetorical question, Kieran!" Kamek snapped, throwing his arms up; startling the Shy Guy and almost causing him to spill his bucket. "I swear, I'm at my wit's end! And no matter how hard I scrub, these floors never seem to get any cleaner!"
Just then, something landed on Kamek's head with a loud splat. Reaching up, the Magikoopa discovered that it was a half-melted strawberry ice cream cone…with sprinkles.
"GrrrrrrrrrraaAAAAGH!" he howled as he threw his toothbrush on the ground. "That does it! Someone is responsible for this and I demand to know who–!"
Just then, Kamek paused as the sound of laughter greeted his ears… young, childish laughter.
"Hmm!?"
He stood up, following the laughter, eventually making his way to the door of Iggy's lab. Morton stealthily following after him. This wasn't going to end well.
"Uhhh...S-Sir Kamek!" Kieran let out, trying to get in front of him. "I-I'm sorry, sir, but you're n-not allowed in there!"
Kamek paid the black Shy Guy no heed, however, and shoved him aside. With a furious shout, he slammed the door open, revealing the source of the laughter.
Bowser Jr. and Lemmy were on the floor, rolling about in gut-busting laughter. Across from them, by one of the workbenches, were Roy and Iggy, who were similarly in stitches.
"Ohhh, man, this is too good!" Junior made out through his youthful giggling.
"I can't breathe!" Lemmy shouted through high-pitched gasps. "I can…. I can't breatheeheehehee!"
"Oh, man…" Roy let out. "Iggy… this has to be your awesomest nerd thing ever!"
"Awesomest… isn't a word, Roy," Iggy corrected, removing his glasses to wipe the tears from his eyes.
"Who cares!" Junior shouted. "Let's do some more! Let's do some more!"
"More! More! More!" Lemmy parroted, hopping up and down.
"What do you think, should we do it?" Iggy asked, earning an evil grin from Roy. "Okay, here we go!"
At that, Iggy began gathering as many chemicals he could carry from his cabinets and ran over to a box-like machine that looked like a cross between a phonograph and a blender. Setting the chemicals down, Iggy began grabbing the bottles and began pouring them into the device.
"Oh man, this is good!" Junior let out. "Too bad Morton's not here to see this!"
"Yeah, he's missing out!" Lemmy chimed in.
"Heh… yeah…" Roy let out awkwardly, partly envying his younger siblings' position in the birth order.
"A bit of Boo ectoplasm… some Blooper ink… Ice Flower nectar for fun… and I don't even know what this stuff is…" He scrunched up his face in thought for a moment before shrugging. "Ahh to heck with it!"
Once he'd finished dumping the contents of the bottles, Iggy flipped the machine on, causing it to hum to life.
"Quick, to the monitors!" Iggy declared, ushering his brothers to the computer. "Alright…" He said as he sat in his chair. "Where should this one go?"
"The kitchen! Dump it in the kitchen!" Lemmy shouted.
"Lemmy, no!" Roy chastised. "That's where all the food is! Just dump it in the main hallway with the rest."
"No, Kieran's been busting his butt all day," Iggy pointed out.
"Ooh, I know!" Junior motioned for Iggy to lean closer and whispered something in his ear; something that made Iggy snicker in malicious glee.
"Ooooooh…fun."
With that Iggy began rapidly pounding away on his keyboard, inputting what appeared to be some kind of commands.
"Inputting coordinates… setting spread radius… checking for accidental targets… And…" He dramatically twirled his finger over a big, red button off to the side. "Poosh de button."
The button let out a quick beep as he tapped it, causing the machine on his workbench to hop and jump as it banged, clanged, and sputtered about. But before Kamek could wonder what was going on, he heard a loud poof up above him, followed by the sound of something splattering… right on top of him.
"Haha!" Iggy cackled. "Mixture warped!" The other Koopa princes let out various 'huzzahs', 'hoorays', and 'whoops' as Iggy reached and pressed a button labeled 'Intercom'.
"Kamek!" the evil genius began. "There's been a spill outside the laboratory, would you kindly come and clean it up, please?"
"Of course, Prince Iggy."
"Thanks, I…" Iggy and the others stiffened at the sudden reply… mostly because there wasn't supposed to be a reply in the first place.
"Uh-oh…"
Suddenly, the door slammed open, revealing Kamek. The recently demoted Royal Wizard was covered from head to toe in the gunge and gunk Iggy's machine had teleported, but more than that, he was absolutely livid.
"Uhhhh… hello, Kamek!" Iggy greeted nervously. "I uhhh… see you've discovered the effects of my new, Multipurpose Mess Mover… first hand?"
"Ohh yes, I have," Kamek gritted out, eye twitching from behind his glasses.
"Great!" Iggy swallowed nervously. "Sooooo… whaddya think?"
"What do I think?" Kamek stepped into the room, his breathing growing louder and heavier. "What do I think?" His body began to glow with a rainbow of colors, prompting Roy to get in front of Junior and Lemmy as Iggy moved his chair in front of all four of them. "I'll tell you what I think!" Kamek's body turned a shadowy black as his form rippled and distorted. "I…!"
"HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEY!"
Kamek suddenly reverted to normal as he looked over his shoulder in confusion. Shocked, he saw Morton standing in the doorway, holding Kieran's mop bucket. But rather than angry or upset, he seemed to be… smiling.
"Morton?" Iggy let out in surprise.
"Prince Morton!" Kamek cried out. "What are you…?"
"Hi! Millie Bays here with a special TV offer!" Morton shouted in a loud, overenthusiastic telemarketer voice. "Has this ever happened to you? You're walking around, minding your own business, when all of a sudden…"
He stumbled about dramatically, sloshing the bucket's contents around before falling over, spilling it all over Kamek.
"You trip and spill crud all over your nice, clean everything!"
"Gah!" Kamek shouted, sputtering and spitting. "Jumpin' Jaydes! I got some in my mouth!"
"Well, do we have news for you!" Morton continued, grabbing Kamek. "Presenting, the newest produce from Green Shell Labs…" He motioned to Iggy's machine. "The Kam-O-Matic 500 All-Purpose Cleaning Gizmo!"
"What's going on?" Junior asked. "Why is Morton acting all…?"
"Shhhh!" Lemmy shushed. "Quiet, BJ! He's doing a thing!"
Morton to clear his throat, his eyes going back and forth between his younger brothers and the machine.
"Oh!" Iggy said before clapping, the others slowly joining him.
"Stupefying, isn't it?" Morton continued. "And best of all, it's easy to use!"
He ran over and held Kamek over the opening to the device.
"Wait! Prince Morton, what are you–!?" He dropped the Magikoopa into the machine.
"Step 1: Drop your nasty, filthy, unsightly garbage into the Gizmo!"
He walked over to a cabinet labeled "Cleaning Supplies" and grabbed several bottles of soap and detergent.
"Step 2: Add whatever cleaners and other detergent you normally use."
He proceeded to empty the bottles into the machine, shaking them out for good measure before tossing the now-empty containers over his shoulder. There was a crash, followed by a girlish shriek.
"Whoops! Sorry, Kieran!" Morton chuckled sheepishly.
"I'm…. okay….."
Morton cleared his throat and resumed his skit. "Step 3: Poosh Da Big Red Button!"
He turned to Iggy, eyebrows waggling knowingly as gave his brother the stupidest, smug grin he could muster. A grin Iggy mirrored as he slammed his fist down on the button, activating the Kam-O-Matic Cleaning Gizmo/Mess Mover once more.
The machine bounced and clattered about, this time more violently; Kamek's shrieks of pain and terror occasionally broke through the mechanical cacophony.
"After that, you just set how long or hard you want to wash…" He ran over to Iggy's control console and began pushing all the buttons. Various beeps, borps, springs, and a weird splat noise filled the air. "Adjust the.. Uhhh… hooble-whatsits!" He fiddled around with some knobs. "And finally…!"
He pushed the big red button again, causing several poofs to appear all over the lab. One poof deposited all the spilled chemicals safely into a tub marked "Hazardous"...
"Voila! No more mess!"
Another poof appeared, dropping a familiar-looking blue robe onto Morton's face. He sputtered for a bit as he grabbed it off, causing everyone's eyes to widen as they discovered it was Kamek's.
"AND no more stains!" Morton continued as another poof greeted his ears, followed by a scream and a loud thud. The Koopalings turned to find Kamek lying on the floor in his underwear; his backside sticking up in the air as little stars circled over his head.
"It even does people!"
"Uuuuuugh… I'd like to phone a friend, Mr. Quizmo, if that's alright with youuuuuuuuu…" Kamek drawled out before shaking off his disorientation.
"It's the one appliance you'll ever need!" Morton declared. "And it can be all yours for only ninety-nine ninety-nine ninety-nine!"
As the other Koopalings laughed and applauded, Kamek growled and fumed with anger; sneaking up on the second Koopa Prince.
"Morton Koopa Jr.!" He shouted. "You…!"
"But wait, there's more!" Morton cut in, grabbing Kieran's now-empty bucket. "If you call now, we'll throw in a special bonus gift! It's…BUCKET-O-NOTHIIIIIIING!"
Kamek gave Morton a crazy look. "Bucket-O…?"
"That's right!" Morton cut in, getting close to the disrobed Magikoopa. "It's Bucket-O-Nothing! The hottest new toy from Green Shell Labs! Surprise your friends! Impress your family! Annoy perfect strangers!" He held up the bucket, showing its interior. "It's absolutely nothing."
He then proceeded to slam the bucket onto Kamek's head so it was stuck inside the metal container. Kamek let out a muffled squeal as he ran around, trying to get it off; only to fumble about the lab, crashing into whatever furniture and walls were in his way.
"Free!" Morton continued. "For only ninety-nine ninety-nine ninety-niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine!"
Morton paused as a loud, echoing scream greeted his ears. Turning toward its location, he saw that it was coming from a doorway marked "Sub-Lab Elevator: Out of Order".
CRASH!
"Ooooooooooh…" Morton let out with a wince. "Guess we shoulda advertised the 'Heal-O-Matic Hurtawayer' instead. Ah well, g'night everybody!"
Morton took a bow as Iggy and the other Koopalings laughed and cheered. As he straightened back up, he was smiling again, his earlier discomfort washed away.
"Haha! Morton that was awesome!" Junior cheered. "Did you see the look on Kamek's stupid face?"
"I thought we was gonna-"
Just then, a loud, sputtering noise came from the machine, followed by a huge cloud of smoke and several sparks as it fell apart.
"My machine!" Iggy shouted as he ran over, looking over the now-broken Mess Mover. "All that hard work..."
Roy walked over to Iggy, giving him a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. "Eh, you were gonna make a bigger one, anyway. And hey! Now you know what to do to make it Idiot Proof!"
Iggy thought for a moment, then bounced back. "You're right. Plus, Kamek had it coming. Serves him right for stealing illegal potions from my lab."
"Why'd you even have that stuff anyway?" Junior questioned.
"Attempting to find a cure that didn't involve Heart Power."
"Eh, who needs Heart Power?" Morton cut in. "You wanna unscramble someone's brain? Just give'em a little 'percussive, cognitive recalibration', if you know what I mean. It's quick, simple, easy, and cathartic."
"And what if they're squishy?" Lemmy asked.
"Well…"
BONG! BONG! BONG!
"Oh yeah, I forgot! King Dad ordered lunch. Megaburger."
"Woot! Sweet!" Roy hollered, throwing his arms in the air.
"Yippee! Food!" Lemmy hopped about as he ran for the door.
"They better have remembered my toy this time!" Junior declared, rushing after his brothers.
"Hey, wait up!" Iggy called out as he tried to keep up.
As Morton went to join them, Roy stopped him.
"So…" the purple-shelled Koopa Prince began. "Feelin' better?"
Morton grinned. "Yeah… you know all that thinking stuff makes my head hurt."
"And that's why we leave it to the smart ones." Roy threw an arm around his brother. "Come on. We're totally stealing Junior's toy."
"I dunno…" Morton began. "The last time we tried that he nearly turned the whole castle upside-down looking for it. Then, he started rallying the entire Koopa Troop to help. Then, he saw Kieran with another toy and had him arrested and thrown in the dungeon, and they tortured him for three days straight when Iggy confessed. Then he got his Clown Car and…"
"Alright, we get it, Big Mouth, give it a rest." And yet, Roy was smiling the whole time. A chatty Morton was much better than a quiet one, any day of the week.
Author's Note:
Well, it seems the Koopa Kingdom has some dark history of its own. Queen Pesca, mentioned by Daisy, is from Super Mario Bros. Z. Queen Gardenia is property of me.
Tune in next chapter as Mario and friends brave the depths of the Myuda Kingdom.
Please R&R. Until next time!
