Chapter Five: Battle Against A Troopa

So you're settling for her...

Then so be it.

Out of breath, L sat up. About ten feet in front of him, a Koopa stood, about fifteen years of age. Instead of one of the colored shells most Koopas wear, this one was still in his egg, the top shell acting as a helmet, with a spike for extra defense, and the bottom shell acting as his shorts. He also had bat wings and a staff of some sort.

Flying up into the air, he let out a bloodcurdling scream.

"MARIO!"

L shot a bolt of lightning at him, but the Koopa dodged, leading the lightning to crash through one of the dorm windows. Turning to face him, the Koopa raised his wand, and cast a purple beam, shooting towards L.

But the beam didn't connect. L, wondering how he wasn't hurt, opened his eyes to see Lady Bow shielding him from the attack.

"Thanks, sugar," he said, clamoring to his feet and dusting himself off.

'Sugar'? REALLY?

Shut up.

"Lu, it's time to make a splash!"

Looking up, L noticed Mario leaping out of the window he broke. Running over to where Mario was going to land, L caught his feet and launched him back up. Now spinning, Mario descended again, with another boost to follow.

One more.
One more.

Once again, Mario descended spinning faster than ever. L boosted him back up for the last time. Now merely a swirl of colors, Mario finally crashed down on the Koopa's head, inflicting massive damage.

"YEEEOWCH! THAT'S NO FAIR!"

"Neither is an ambush, Junior," Mario retorted.

Junior. Junior Troopa?

I guess so. He sounds just as annoying as Mario described.

"DON'T CALL ME JUNIOR! It's just 'Troopa' now!" Troopa screeched, raising his staff again. He started to cast another spell, until Bow appeared, slapping the staff out of his hand with her fan.

"Tsk, tsk! Casting spells isn't too fair either, now is it?" Bow cackled, much to Troopa's dismay.

Mario calmly walked over to the fallen staff and picked it up. He had never actually held it in his hands before, but it was sturdy, with a spiral knob. It felt powerful, a corrupting amount of power, even. He knew nobody should have this power.

So Mario took the staff and broke it over his knee.

Vivian and the others had finally made it down the five flights of stairs to get outside. Just in time, because a flash of purple had just sent Mario flying. Dipping into the shadows, she zoomed over to where he was heading and emerged to catch him, before dipping back down with him.

"Phew... a-are you okay?" Vivian asked, looking over Mario for any injuries.

"Yeah, just a little shaken."

"Well, at least you're not stirred!"

Both of them took a second to laugh at Vivian's crappy joke. They really needed that break.

Resurfacing, Troopa was gone. According to Bowser, he cursed and left when Mario disappeared.

Turning to his brother, Mario almost broke down. "I-I can't believe it, I thought you died, and I didn't know what I'd do withou- wait."

Thinking for a second, something was off. Luigi's eyes were blue, not green. And he was wearing... a mechanic jumpsuit? And a bandana? The only person who'd wear those clothes is...

"No. It can't be. You can't be..."

"I am," L stated.

"Where's Luigi?" Mario spat out coldly.

"It-it's hard to explain. But he's here. With me."

Mario only glared with more intensity.

"Please trust me. I'm on your side, and I have no intention of betraying you."

Mario was still skeptical, until Vivian put a hand on his shoulder.

"I trust him."

"Eh, I believe Green 'Stache too," Bowser added.

Mario merely stood there, mind racing. Could he really just trust Mr. L? After everything?

Observing his eyes, he noticed how they were green, not Mr. L's silver. Within those eyes, Mario could see the silent plea from his brother's alter ego. Although Mr. L wouldn't vocalize it, he was begging for a second chance. For a family. Mario also observed the fright of Luigi; with the way his eyes shifted, with the small beads forming on his forehead.

This wasn't Mr. L or Luigi. It was both.

Suddenly L found himself in a deadly bear hug by Mario. The embrace was warmer than any of Luigi's memories could have ever offered him. He'd never admit it out loud, but L yearned for the life Luigi has lead, all of those warm experiences, that love, more powerful than anything he could imagine.

Aw, so you ARE jealous!

Fuck, I forgot you were in here too.

I'm never letting you live this down.

I know.

Finally, Bow floated back down to meet with the rest of them.

"Sorry to interrupt the reunion, but what are we gonna do about this whole Poppleville situation?"

"What the hell is a Poppleville?" Bowser questioned.

"That's what I said!"

"Poppleville's just the castle town," Goombella stated flatly.

"Either way, we need a plan," Mario announced.

"I already came up with a plan!"

"You came up with an idea, Bowser. How would we even get Peach?"

"Storm the castle, duh."

"You can't do that," Goombella corrected. "The castle's guarded with some insane type of magic that not even I have been able to figure out."

"What about Shroob tech? That's pretty advanced."

Everyone glanced at Luigi and his sudden theory.

"Maybe, but all of the Shroobs and Shroob tech were destroyed twenty years ago."

"Then explain this."

L pulled out the Shroob blaster from his pocket, to everyone's amazement. It had a gold finish, with two red setting buttons on the side, and a blue tip to direct the bolt.

"Whoa, like, where did you get this thing?"

"Looted it off one of the Shroobs that guarded my cell," L claimed nonchalantly, putting the blaster back in his pocket.

"I told you there was a secret colony in the kingdom!"

Turning to the voice, it came from another Goomba, sporting a blue cap.

"Ugh. Everyone, this is Goombario, my roommate."

"And resident genius," the cocky Kuribo claimed.

"All right then, resident genius," Goombella called out. "Where's the colony?"

"The Mushroom City sewers, obviously."

"So what's the plan, we're just gonna barter with the Shroobs? The notoriously hostile aliens?"

"Well, we don't have any other options," Vivian interjected.

"So then it's decided," Bow announced. "We're going to Mushroom City."

"Then we can just use... um..."

Mario felt around in his pockets, looking for the Reusable Warp Whistle. But he couldn't find it.

"Does anybody have the Warp Whistle?"

"YEAH! I DO!"

Looking to the skies, Troopa was back with the Reusable Warp Whistle.

"Aww, do you want it? TOO BAD!"

Mirroring Mario's action from earlier, Troopa broke the Whistle over his knee. Suddenly, the broken Whistle exploded, sending Troopa flying and releasing an intense storm of tornadoes.

"Everyone, pair up!" Mario yelled, grabbing on to Vivian. "Catch a tornado! We'll meet at Mushroom City!"

He and Vivian hopped in a tornado, and were sent off.

Bow quickly floated over to L.

"We're partners."

She took L's hand and forced them into the next tornado.

Goombario and Goombella shared a glance.

"Roommates to the end, huh, Bella?"

"Roommates to the end."

Together they jumped into another tornado.

That left Bowser by himself.

"Oh, COME ON! How come I don't get a partner!?"

Then a tornado finally came by, whisking a pouting Bowser away.

So. It's been a while. I just kinda got busy with other things, I guess. But now I'm back! As always, review if you like it, or if you don't. Just tell me why.