AN: Hey everyone! For my American fans out there, I just wanted to say Happy Fourth of July! :D

Chapter 25 Torturing Tolstar

The green creature struggled against Cackletta's hold, but she didn't let didn't mind this though; in fact, she found it amusing. They were partaking in such an obvious and pitiful practice in futility, which just tickled Cackletta's funny bone. She chuckled, and Fawful did the same thing right beside her. While she couldn't speak for her henchman, Cackletta could say that a bunch of warm, fuzzy feelings filled her with this display.

"YOU WITCH!" The green creature shrieked at the top of his voice. "PUT ME DOWN! I HAVE CONNECTIONS! I KNOW A LOT OF IMPORTANT PEOPLE!"

Fawful laughed. "The people of the importance wouldn't do the associating with the Earth's lowest scum."

Steam shot out of the creature's nostrils. "Why… I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU SO MUCH! I…!"

"Oh, shut up," Cackletta said. She cast another spell, which made tape appear over her prisoner's mouth. He screamed bloody murder, but because of the tape, it only came across as muffled and pathetic. This just added to Cackletta's joy.

After a little bit more walking, both the evil doers decided that they had gotten a more than fair distance away. Coming to a stop but not letting go of their prisoner, Cackletta let out a breath. Now was time for the interrogation. Oh, sweet Mama Maria. Interrogations were fun. Watching the interrogee sweat, seeing their fear reach insurmountable levels… Yeah, it was a fun activity. And it only got more enjoyable when the person didn't cooperate. When that happened, that gave Cackletta plenty of opportunity to engage in the funnest, most evil activity that one could ever partake in.

Torture.

And call it a gut feeling, but Cackletta had this suspicion that torture might be required in this particular instance. So, she smiled as she turned toward their captive. Still not breaking the spell she approached and stroked the creature's green cheek with her thumb. She could see visible shudders spreading throughout his arms, a sight that made her chortle.

"Tell me, what is your name, my dear?"

"Like I would tell you!" The green creature spat out.

"Oh, but telling me would be in your best interest!" Cackletta backed up a little bit, standing up to her full height. "You see, I happen to be one of the most powerful witches in the Mushroom World."

"It's truthful!" Fawful said. "She be the worst and wickedest of the witches too!"

"That is exactly it." Cackletta chuckled. "So, unless you want this to get entertaining for me…" She closed her palm and opened it, creating a fireball. The captive's eyes widened at this sight, and his shudders got worse. "I would suggest that you cooperate."

The creature still shook. He looked into Cackletta's eyes as if trying to appeal to any humanity she had in her. She just stepped toward him, making the fireball get bigger. His breathing rate started to speed up, making it appear like he was about to pass out. Despite that, he opened his mouth.

"M… my name is… is… it's Tolstar."

"Tolstar." Saying that name was fun, especially since doing so made Tolstar tremble even more. Cackletta deactivated her fireball and stepped even closer, which just made him sweat some more. "My dear, dear Tolstar. I am so pleased I got a chance to meet you."

"Don't patronize me, you little…" Cackletta gave him a death glare, which changed his tone immediately. "I mean… it's nice to meet you too. You and your… your… lackey."

Fawful glared at him. "I am the second in command."

"He is indeed," Cackletta said. "So, if you want to walk out of this situation relatively unharmed, dear dear Tolstar, you will treat both of us with the utmost respect." She lifted her hand, which now glowed with a green aura. "Got it?"

The scent of Tolstar's sweat grew stronger. "Uh… right. You're absolutely right. I… I apologize to both of you."

"Good!" Cackletta put a smile back on, one that she hoped looked both threatening and off-putting. "Now, my dear, I have some questions for you." She loomed over Tolstar, her shadow fully covering his chubby body. He looked like he was having a panic attack. "Fawful and I are looking for someone. A young beanish lady who has blonde hair and a shapely figure. You might be familiar with her; her name is… Peach."

Tolstar's eyes grew wider, which a few seconds ago didn't even seem to be possible. "Peach?" he squeaked.

"Oh yes. Dear little Peach is Beanbean Kingdom royalty." She stepped closer to him. "And… I don't know about you, but as someone whose ultimate goal is to destroy the Beanbean Kingdom royalty, I personally see this annoying little girl as a threat." Cackletta laughed, and Fawful joined right in. "And I don't like threats. I don't like the fact that the Princess is potentially out there, roaming free and fully capable of RUINING my ultimate plan!" She chuckled some more. "And so, I need you to answer me this one question, dear Tolstar." The smile evaporated and was replaced with a sneer. "Have you seen Peach?"

Tolstar looked into Cackletta's eyes. He probably didn't want to do that, but seeing how he was being telekinetically held in place, he didn't have any other options. Cackletta saw all sorts of interesting emotions running through him, which on top of being fun to observe, told her that Tolstar was at least somewhat aware of the Queen's whereabouts. In fact, she was so certain that he did that she tightened her telekinetic hold on him, knowing that he probably wasn't going to tell and preparing for the round of torture that she wanted to put him through.

"Hmm. You still haven't said anything, so let me ask again." She stepped even closer to him, so close that she could see pores on his lime green face. "Have. You. Seen. Peach?"

Tolstar swallowed a lump. "I've never met that woman a day in my life."

"Ooh!" Fawful said as Cackletta backed away from him. "My my. Like the person eating the lard, Tolstar has made the gravest of mistakes!"

"That he has." A heat filled Cackletta's eyes as she lifted the gasping Tolstar up off the ground. "That. He. Has."

Cackletta didn't even need to think about what method she was going to use to torture Tolstar. Sure, she had displayed several possible methods before this moment, ranging from the fireball to the green aura. However, while effective, those methods weren't her favorite. Her favorite… was her lighting. Or, as she liked to call it, her Mind Breaking Shocks. So, she readied her hand…

"AAHH!" Tolstar's screams as the lightning enveloped her were some of the most ear-bleeding, blood-curdling, hair-raising sounds hearable on the Mushroom World. With wide eyes that had red veins visible around the edges, several parts of the body that convulsed and pulsated, and a head that looked ready to explode, it was clear that this torture method was incredibly effective. However, that wasn't just because of the physical component.

"PLEASE!" Tolstar shook his head, closing his eyes and gritting his teeth. "I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT… YOU CAN'T DO THIS! I HAVE SO MUCH LIFE TO LIVE!"

Cackletta grinned, with Fawful doing the same thing right beside her. This was why the Mind Breaking Shocks were Cackletta's favorite method of torture. Not only did this method provide the victim with near-unbearable pain, but it also was effective in giving them mental torture. Right now, in his mind, Tolstar was in the middle of dealing with his worst, most deeply concealed fears.

"PLEASE!" Tears streamed from Tolstar's eyes. "PLEASE STOP!" There was a spike in his voice, making it sound like it was going to break. "PLEASE DON'T DO THIS! PLEASE!" He closed his eyes. "Please…"

A tear fell from his closed eye, which to Cackletta conveyed that he was ready to talk. She stopped with the lightning, and he gasped and panted as a response. Various parts of his body looked like they had been burned to a crisp and sealed with some sort of brand. The scent of burning flesh filled the air as well.

"I will ask you this again," Cackletta said, her voice low and rumbly. "Where is Peach?"

Tolstar cried, which Cackletta was willing to wager he didn't do very often. "She… she came over to my house." His tears grew more frequent. "I served her a meal, and she told me that… that she wanted to get help from President Mario of the Mushroom Kingdom."

Cackletta's blood ran cold. She looked over at Fawful, who looked to be experiencing a similar emotional state. Cackletta shook her head. No, this couldn't be true! There was no way this was true! Peach wasn't going to get help from the Mushroom Kingdom; that was ludicrous!

"Cackletta?" Fawful asked.

That word made Cackletta's confusion transition into rage. "No!" She shook her head, wanting to turn around and murder anyone who dared cross her. "NO! Peach thinks she can get help from the Mushroom Kingdom!" She started to shake, and her eyes grew wide. "If she succeeds in that endeavor, then everything will be ruined!" She started to pant. "The Beanbean Kingdom will be taken back! That little naive brat is going to take back her kingdom, and… and…" she put her hand to her chest, trying to get herself to stop hyperventilating. She was an all-powerful sorceress; she shouldn't be hyperventilating!

"It does inspire the unease in Fawful as well, Mistress Cackletta," Fawful said. Looking at his body language supported that statement, as Fawful shivered and trembled like Tolstar had done not so long ago. "We have done the working. We have put in heaploads of the work to ensure that this plan would be one of success."

"That we have." Rage spiked through Cackletta once again, making her grip her hand into a fist. "Which is why I a NOT going to stand idly by!" She looked between Fawful and Tolstar. "I am going to the Mushroom Kingdom myself! I'm going to find that little idiotic brat who calls herself a queen and I'm gonna make sure that she NEVER brings me trouble EVER again!"

Fawful laughed. "I have chortles! I can already be imagining the horrible things that we can do to the Beanbean queen!"

Cackletta smiled. She could too. There was a whole smorgasbord of possibilities, each one more appealing than the last. She could dismember Peach. She could start a water-boarding session with her. Or, better yet, she could use the Mind Breaking Shocks on her. Actually, now that she thought about it, she was going to skip all the other methods and just go for that one. That one would be the most satisfying. That would inspire all the happy feelings Cackletta could possibly feel. But most importantly, it would send a message to everyone. It would show other Kingdoms that the Great Cackletta wasn't one to be messed with. She could and would put people who challenged her through the wringer. She would let them all experience a hell they never imagined, all while simultaneously killing them in the slowest and most joy-inducing way possible.

"Indeed, Fawful." She let go of Tolstar, who panted on the ground as he held his hand to his chest. "Come on, my second in command. We have a queen to find!"

"Indeed." Fawful looked back at Tolstar. "Although… Fawful believes letting this ruffian roaming free wouldn't be the wisest."

Cackletta turned toward Tolstar. She realized that Fawful was right; it would kind of be idiotic to let Tolstar go after this whole thing. He could tell people. He could, if he tried hard enough, relay a message to Queen Peach. That wouldn't be good. Not in the least.

And so, Cackletta raised her hand and pointed at Tolstar. A lightning bolt shot out of her fingertip, completely different from her Mind Bending Shocks. It hit him in the head, and without another sound coming from his mouth, Tolstar collapsed to the ground. Cackletta and Fawful waited around for a minute or two to see if he would get up. He didn't.

Cackletta smiled. "Well." She gestured to Fawful. "Now that that's taken care of, let's continue on our mission."