The group had gotten to a prison, where Koops noticed something.

He moaned, "Oh no!"

Goombella asked, "What is it, Koops?"

He had walked over to a Dry Bones and sniffled, "These bones… They remind me of my father… There's… There's no doubt about it! It is my father!" He whined, "Dad!" Koops broke down, sobbing. Mario, Luigi, and Goombella went over to their friend to console him. Koops kept crying and sobbing. That's when he noticed something else. He added, "Guys! My father's clutching some kind of letter! Or, at least, his…ugh…bones are…"

Luigi stammered, "O - okay, that's just gross…"

Mario stated, "Watch out, I'll get it for you."

The group stood to the side while Mario, very carefully, got the letter out. Mario gave it to Koops, who started to read.

He read, tearing, "I came to this castle to destroy Hooktail, but I am stuck and can go no further. So, in this letter, I shall note Hooktail's weaknesses for those who follow. The dreaded Hooktail cannot tolerate creatures that being with cr and end with icket. Hidden somewhere in this castle is an item related to Hooktail's weakness. If one is to have any hope of defeating Hooktail, one must first find that item. One last thing: if faced with ultimate doom, the fiend will use any trick to save itself. If you hope to defeat it, do not give into your kinder nature and fall for its tricks. Alas, I do not have the strength to continue writing… Already, mist veils my eyes… My last words go to my son, Kolorado: I love you and I am proud of who you've become." He perked up, "Huh? My son Kolorado? Not Koops?"

Goombella was confused, "Wait, your full name is Kolorado?"

Koops shook his head, blushing from embarrassment, "No…" Everyone face faulted. He added sheepishly, "I guess this isn't my father after all…" He looked around the room and said loud, "But this isn't my father… I wonder if that pile of bones over there is my dad…"

Just as they were about to check, the Red Bones near the door started to move. Everyone screamed in fear as they all got behind Mario.

The Red Bones grumbled, "You clearly don't value your lives much if you've come to this castle to disturb us. You will go no farther, and from this moment on… You'll be nothing but bones!"

All of the sudden, Dry Bones started to come down from the ceiling.

Goombella asked, "What's with these numbskulls?"

Luigi activated his Thunderhand and answered, "N - no clue but they are starting to annoy me!"

Koops questioned, "H - how are we gonna fight this many Dry Bones?"

Mario got out the hammer and hammered through the crowd til he got to the Red Bones. He managed to get a hit.

He activated his Firebrand, "Let's dance!"

Luigi, Koops, and Goombella all went to his side as they all started to fight. The Red Bones had assembled a Dull Bones during the fight. But the heroes quickly disposed of them. The Dry Bones left, allowing the group to keep going.

…

After going through some rooms, the group had discovered a chest. It was moving.

Koops asked, "What the heck?"

"Hey! Guests! It's been a long time since anyone came here! A real long time!"

Mario commented, "This is feeling familiar. But we can hear you."

"Huh? You heard me? Wow! Wait a sec… If you can hear me, you must be some legendary hero or something…"

Goombella rolled her eyes, "This is definitely deja vue."

Koops looked confused but the chest kept talking.

"Or not! Well, to be fair, I'm not sure anyone with ears can hear me. But it sure is fun zinging people with the 'legendary hero' bit!"

Luigi stammered, "H - hey!"

"Hey, but seriously, folks, I was wondering if you could let me out of this chest… I've been locked in here so long, I'm starting to cramp like you wouldn't believe. All you have to do is find the key and let me out! Easy."

Mario growled protectively, "Nice try but the last time this happened, my brother got a curse that he can't get rid of!"

Luigi was surprised by his brother's response. But the voice in the chest kept talking.

"You think you'll be cursed if you open the box? Ridiculous!"

Goombella pointed out, sarcastically, "Right and Luigi being able to turn into a paper airplane is a special move he learned…"

"Who would do that, really? Wait in a box and curse folks! A real slimeball, that's who! But I'm not a real slimeball, and I would do no such thing! But that should be obvious."

Luigi stammered, "W - we are not letting you out."

"Look, if you help me out, maybe I'll help you out."

Koops questioned, "What do you mean?"

"You know, a little I scratch your back, you scratch mine! Except in reverse order. Of course you don't really want to. Like finding a black key is hard."

Koops turned to his friends, "Should try to look for it anyways? He might be okay."

Goombella pointed out, "And he might curse Mario or attempt to again. We can't take that risk."

Mario stated, "I think we oughta at least try. But if anything does happen again, I'm taking the hit this time, Weegie."

Luigi was surprised by this but nodded, "I - I understand, Malleo."

Mario led the team through a door and they found a black key in a box. They had accidentally activated a trap, allowing spikes to rise up on the floor and the ceiling - with spikes on it - started to come down on them slowly. The group quickly got out of the room.

Koops said, "Man that was too close! Gotta shake it off… Hoo… Okay…we got the key, so let's open that spooky chest."

Goombella stated, "I'm still against this."

Luigi stammered, "M - me too."

Mario placed a hand on his shoulder, "Hey, don't worry. We got this, fratello."

Luigi just nodded as they walked over to the chest.

"Hey there! Boy, am I so glad that you found that key! Unbelievable!" Mario put the key and unturned it. "Mwhaha! Fools!" That's when the same face from before appeared. It added, "Why, only the most idiotic pudding-brained dolt would fall for a scheme like that! This castle's traps prevent anyone who's entered this place from ever leaving it! No matter which path you take, you're fated to waste away to a slow, painful end!"

...

Wishmaker1028: That isn't good! But this ends chapter 9! For now, please read and review! And always think outside of the box!