-Chapter 53-
Battle in the Sky
Across the regions of the Mushroom World, various people were glued to their sets as Metro News opened up, anxious to hear more about the Sarasaland fiasco.
"Metro News: where the news comes last and the weather comes later!"
The show opened with Michael slamming his paper down on his desk, a furious scowl replacing his usual unflappable, deadpan stoicism. However, this was only for a moment, as his calm demeanor returned as soon as he sat down.
"Hello, and welcome to the Metro News in New Donk City. I'm your anchor, Michael Richardson."
"And I'm your co-anchor, Itsy Bitsy Bill, but you can call me Mark," said Mark.
"Tragedy has struck…" Michael continued, grimly. "Unfortunately, before we get into that, it's time for Weather with Tim. Tim, how is the weather?"
"The rain in Spain has stayed mainly in the plain… according to sources."
"What's Spain?" Mark asked.
"...I have no idea," Tim replied, earning annoyed looks from his colleagues.
"In real news…" Michael continued. "The Sarasaland Crisis has reached a fever pitch today. It appears the Koopa population has been enslaved by Madame Hua of the Chai Kingdom, who turned them into Bombshell Koopas. The horrors of which the world has not seen since the reign of King Morton Koopa."
"Our inside sources reveal this was possible through a bill proposed by Madame Hua and approved by none other than Princess Daisy herself," Mark picked up. "Understandably, the Koopa population is up in arms."
"We're up in arms!" shouted a crowd of furious Koopas that had appeared in a miniature frame in the corner.
"We now go live to Dan as he gives us the updates on this tense situation," Michael cut in, prompting the camera to cut to the Chai Kingdom, where Dan was reporting, microphone in hand. In the background, Bowser and MP finished getting all the Bombshell Koopas to safety.
"Michael, I'm standing here in the Chai Kingdom in the aftermath of Madame Hua's ultimate demise." He stepped aside, allowing a better view. "As you can see, the Bombshell Koopas have been safely defused and are in the process of being aided by King Bowser and... some girl in a Halloween costume."
"Wait a minute…" Michael cut in incredulously. "You were supposed to get an interview with Madame Hua! What the heck happened!?"
"Sorry, Michael, while passing through the Easton Kingdom, I was captured by a tribe of giant spider-people and nearly had all the fluids drained from my body. I managed to escape using only my tie and a box of crayons. They're going to make a movie out of it."
"Ooh! I'll be first in line!" Mark piped up.
"Anyway… let's go see if we can learn more," Dan said as he approached Bowser. "Excuse me! King Bowser! I'm Dan with Metro News. Care to say a few words on this harrowing experience? Like, say, what possessed Princess Daisy to sign such an abominable bill?"
"Stupidity. Stupidity and ignorance," Bowser replied plainly, grabbing the mic. "Hua handed the bill over to her, and she signed it without even bothering to read the fine print. Or any print! And I promise you, as soon as Tatanga is history, I will exact justice on Princess Daisy for the role she played in my people's suffering! Koopa-kind will be avenged!"
"Can I quote you on that?"
"We're live, you idiot," Bowser replied flatly.
"Ah… yes… AHEM! Uhhh… A-Anyway, I see you're quite busy, so I'll leave you to it. May I have the mic back?"
"Go ahead, knock yourself out."
Bowser then threw the mic at Dan's head, knocking him to the ground.
"Really?" MP's voice could be heard in a snarky deadpan.
"Ahoy, small fry! Keep an eye out for the magical Triumph Forksssss…" Dan slurred before passing out, to the concern of his colleagues back in the studio.
"Uh... I think Dan is suffering from a slight concussion," Michael noted
"I doubt that, he has a hard head," Matt remarked.
"So do you," Michael teased." Anyway, that's all the time we have for Metro News. Tune in next time when we discuss the legality of items in professional Kart Racing. Should the Blue Shell be banned? Are Coins useful?"
"Not sure, but I just found out Spain is a place," Tim chimed in, right as the screen went to static.
Somewhere in the skies over Sarasaland…
"Oh brother," Tatanga mumbled as he turned the TV monitor in his ship off. "I swear, Shroomer World news is just as stupid and useless as the people watching it. This is why the military should run the media." He rolled his eyes, his gaze turning to the mountain. "But enough about that! The time has come… With Daisy and those kriffing Mario Brothers out of the way, the Mushroom World will soon be absorbed into the Kaiuchuu Empire, and I'll finally regain the title and respect that I deserve! Long live General Tatanga!"
He laughed maniacally, only to be cut off by a loud PCHEW!
"Blark!" Had there been any room and he hadn't been buckled up, Tatanga would've jumped out of his seat, having been startled by the beam blast that had just whizzed past his ship, just barely missing the right thruster.
"A beam blast!? Ohhh, don't tell me…"
He slowly turned his head to the rear-view camera monitor to see the Sky Pop flying after him; his eyes going wide when he saw who was in the front seats.
"Princess Daisy and the Mario Bros.!? Impossible! I set off enough Bombshells to level Hua's castle! They can't be alive!"
"Sorry pal," Mario replied over a communication device. "But the games are not over yet! Professor! Let him have it!"
"Letting!" E. Gadd rapidly pressed several buttons, causing a set of small, thin blaster cannons to emerge from the pop's sides and some aiming controllers to emerge from the consoles. "Bittronic Rapid Fire Energy Beam Cannons are a go! Princess Daisy! Luigi! Give'em heck!"
"Awww yeah!"
"Okie-dokie!"
Daisy and Luigi manned the controllers, using them to unleash a barrage of spherical, yellow energy projectiles at the Pagosu. The guns beeped and blipped furiously as the shots fired about, bursting on contact with the enemy vessel.
"BLARK!" Tatanga cursed as his ship shook violently. "Ahh! Double BLARK!"
The Pagosu began to lower in distance and speed, trying to shake the Sky Pop off.
"He's moving toward our nine!" Peach cried out as she looked over the radar.
"And he's going left too!" E. Gadd repeated.
"You Shroomers just don't know when to quit, do you?" Tatanga asked, using his own comm system.
"Yeah, I get that a lot!" Mario called out.
"Well, do you get this a lot!?"
A square part of the Pagosu's side rose up, revealing it to be connected to a robotic, piston-powered arm. Red circuit lines lit up along the arm's frame, followed by a series of circles along the front of the panel… which grew out into a set of nasty-looking spikes.
"Uh-oh…" Mario whispered as the machine hummed to life.
"Eat Smasher Arm, Fatso!" Tatanga shouted as the newly named weapon charged forward, striking the Pop in the side, leaving an enormous dent.
"Warning. Significant damage to the left side," ROB informed.
"Tell me something I don't know!" E. Gadd shouted.
"He's coming again!" Luigi screamed.
"Ahh! I didn't know that!" The arm pulled back, letting out yet another humming noise. "Quick, do a Barrel Roll!"
"Initiating Barrel Roll," ROB intoned, bringing the Sky Pop down just in time to avoid getting punched by the Smasher Arm. The Sky Pop spiraled a bit, dropping speed before going upward, placing it behind Tatanga's craft.
"Whew! Close one…" Luigi let out.
"What the heck, ROB!" E. Gadd shouted. "That wasn't a Barrel Roll! You were supposed to spin the Pop around and deflect the arm back!"
"Actually, it was," ROB explained. "The technique you are thinking of is called an Aileron Roll, and it would not have helped at all. (1)"
"Well, whatever it's called, it saved our butts," Daisy said. "You hear that, Tatanga!? If that's all you got, then you're gonna LOSE!"
"Oh, I assure you, 'Princess'…" Tatanga replied with a grin as he pushed several buttons. "That is far from all I got."
Several hatches opened from the sides of the Pagosu, revealing a pair of 2x3…
"Missile launchers!" Luigi cried out.
"Fire!"
Smoke ejected from the missile launchers as they… launched missiles, by the dozens.
"Oh my…" Peach let out. "This is not good."
"Indeed," E. Gadd nodded. "ROB! Evasive maneuvers!"
"Evading."
ROB swerved about, trying to shake the missiles off their tail… only for the missiles to get right back on it not long after.
"Aw man… they're homing missiles!" Daisy shouted.
"Noooo…" Luigi moaned. "Didn't we get enough of those in the Easton Kingdom?"
"Well, look on the bright side," the Professor replied happily. "At least they aren't shouting in that obnoxious Juke Box-Greaser-era High School Bully voice."
BOOM!
The Pop shook violently as one of the missiles managed to hit its mark.
"Now they'll just explode!"
"Professorrrrrr…!" Luigi whined fearfully.
"Right! ROB! Shake these things off our tailfeathers!"
"Shaking."
ROB steered the Sky Pop left and right, high and low. But no matter what he did, the missiles continued to follow after them.
"Guys… this isn't working!" Daisy cried out.
"There must be something we can do!" Peach pleaded.
"Well, in the movies, homing missiles usually worked by tracking heat," Mario recalled. "So, if these are heat-seekers, we could lose them by getting them to target something hotter than us."
"But we don't have anything hotter than us!" E. Gadd replied. "Fire Flowers don't grow in Sarasaland, and none of us can breathe fire! We're doomed! DOOOOOOOOOOOOOMED!"
Just then, a swarm of fireballs rained down from higher in the sky, causing the missiles to swerve away from the Sky Pop and go after them, blowing up as on contact as they did.
"What!?" Tatanga shouted in disbelief.
"Were those…fireballs?" Mario let out.
"I thought Bowser stayed behind?" Daisy asked.
"This might be in poor taste…" the voice from earlier piped up. "But that big, ugly Koopa isn't the only firestarter around here!"
Mario and the others turned toward where the fire had come from, and were greeted by a sight they never expected to see again.
"Totahmet!" Daisy cried out, overjoyed to see the Shphinx pharaoh fly up beside them.
"It's the Shphinx guy!" Luigi chimed in.
"The Shphinx!? We're DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMED!" E. Gadd wailed.
"Calm yourself, Professor," the pharaoh chuckled. "This time, I come as an ally! Or should I say…we."
Totahmet let out a roar, prompting several Shphinx to dive down from the clouds above, their eyes and mouths aglow with flame.
"Oh boy…" Tatanga let out, worriedly.
"Warriors!" Totahmet bellowed. "This outworlder turned us against our fellow kingdoms and forced us to end the games of countless innocents! Where shall we send him!?"
"To the Duat!" they replied.
"Now, fire!"
The Shphinx unleashed a volley of fireballs, far bigger than the previous, and all concentrated on the Pagosu.
"BLARK!" Tatanga cursed. "There's too much fire! If I use my heat-seekers, they'll just target me!" He growled in frustration. "Fine! I'll just take them down with the Beam Cannons."
Tatanga pressed several buttons, causing a pair of large, high-tech cannons to emerge from his ship's hull.
"Prepare to eat hot plasma, you overgrown Flerken!"
The cannons fired a large, concentrated beam of energy, blasting several Shphinx out of the air and sending them plummeting toward the ground.
"Blackguard…" Totahmet growled. "You will pay for that!"
"Save your energy, Totahmet," a posh, refined voice let out. "You aren't the only one with a bone to pick with this purple twat."
"Hold on," Daisy let out. "Was that…?"
"Incoming transmission," ROB announced as he pressed a button on the console, causing a screen to pop up, revealing…
"Good afternoon, Princess," Zamasu greeted.
"Zamasu! You're here too?"
"We're DOOOOOOOOOOMED!" E. Gadd cried out again.
"Don't sound so surprised," the Dragobo king continued, ignoring the old man's outburst. "And don't sound so relieved. I'm doing this to save Sarasaland from Tatanga's mad schemes." His eyes narrowed and grew colder. "You're just an unpleasant bonus… Koopa Killer."
"Ohhhhh…" Daisy let out. "I… take it you found out about the bill."
Zamasu nodded. "Along with the entire Mushroom World."
"Seriously!?" Luigi let out. "Metro News works fast."
"Zamasu…" Daisy began. "I…"
"Save your apologies and promises for Lady Themis, Daisy," the Burner King cut in. "Right now, this great, purple lunatic needs to be stopped. Isn't that right… Brother?"
The camera panned over, revealing General Muscato standing before an army of Dragobo soldiers.
"Indeed!" he replied. "Troops! On my mark, aim for the Pagosu! Ready…!"
The Dragobos all looked up.
"Aim!"
Their eyes focused on the Pagosu…
"FIRE!"
Before they unleashed the full force of their might in the form of a barrage of jets of flame and high-pressure water. Within seconds, the Pagosu was caught in an upside-down torrential downpour.
"Mamma mia…" Mario let out. "They're really letting him have it!"
"And they're all the way in the ocean!?" Luigi let out. "Those guys can spit!"
"That's it!?" Tatanga shouted. "The Pagosu was designed to be able to withstand the heat of your Sun, Brighton! Your little water spouts can't even touch me!" He pressed a button on his console. "Computer, activate Bombing System! Blow those fish-freaks to bits!"
"I am sorry, General. I cannot do that."
"Eh!? What do you mean you can't!?"
"Targeting system offline. All visual systems, obscured."
"By wha…oh…"
Tatanga lifted his head and peered into the outside world, or what little of it that wasn't obscured by the massive cloud of steam he was trapped in.
"Ohhhhh… kriff…"
-X-
"Zamasu," Moscato piped up. "The cloud is formed. The Pagosu should have lost all visual contact."
"Excellent…" the yellow brother replied. "Now we need only wait for Trompal to do his part."
Moscato winced. "Zamasu, are you sure that's wise?"
"Trompal has the easiest job of them all, dear brother." Zamasu chuckled. "Even a rockhead like him could do it."
-X-
Higher in the sky...
"Dude..." Trompal let out in awe. "This is, like, the coolest thing ever! We're, like, in the sky! And everything looks really teeny-tiny. Like, they all look like teeny-tiny, little toys... And..."
"Oh for the love of Arachne!" Sue Paida's voice cut in. "My arms are getting tired!"
As it turned out, Trompal and the Moe-Eyes were being carried from above by Sue and her spiders, the latter using web-gliders and carrying the former in slings.
Trompal snapped to attention. "Oh, right, sorry, Sue."
"Uuuuugh... whatever.." Sue rolled her eyes. "Do you have a visual on the Pagosu?"
"The what now?"
"Tatanga's ship, you rock-brained lummox!"
"Oh! Right, that! Lessee..." The brainless stone began to scan the air, his stony brow furrowed as he searched. "Hrrrrm… Where's Waldo, where's Waldo... wheeeeeere's Walllllldoooooo... Aha!"
He pointed down below, grinning like an idiot.
"There's Waldo! I-I mean, the ship! I-I mean…!"
"Perfect!" Sue grinned, exposing her fangs. "Everyone! Time to drop our load!"
"You heard the Queen!" Malcolm declared. "Drop'em!"
The Spiders saluted before dropping the load.
"BAAAAAAAAANZAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAI!"
-X-
Meanwhile...
"You gotta be kidding me..."
Tatanga jumped as a Moe-Eye landed on top of the Pagosu, caving the top in. Another Moe-Eye dropped, damaging a wing. One by one, Moe-Eyes kept dropping, letting out funny screams as they did. Some hit, some didn't, but Tatanga was caught in a torrent of bonehead boulders.
"Well…" Mario mused, adjusting his cap. "That's something you don't see every day."
"We're DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMED!" E. Gadd shouted.
"Professor…"
"I refuse to lose to you primitive apes!" Tatanga ranted. "I am General Tatanga, a proud warrior of the Kaiuchuu Empire! I am unstoppable! I am invincible! I am-!"
Trompal himself landed directly on top of the glass dome, cracking it.
"You talk too much, General Tangela," he remarked before falling off.
"TATANGA!"
He slammed his fist down on a button, causing the Pagosu's thrusters to kick into overdrive before speeding off.
"He's getting away!" Peach cried.
Quick!" E. Gadd cried. "Activate the Turbo Boosters!'
"Activating Turbo Boosters." ROB flicked a few switches. The Pop's propeller and boosters also charge up before taking off after the Pagosu.
-X-
"Finally!" Tatanga cackled. "I lost those fools! Now, I just need to get back to the mountain and..." A blast hit him. "Oh, what now!?"
He checked the cams, seeing the Sky Pop charging after him.
"Tatanga!" Daisy yelled. "Get back here, you coward!"
"Blarkin' Blarking Blarkette! What does it take to get rid of you people!?"
"Hmm..." Luigi tapped his chin. "Supernova?"
Mario elbowed him, but it was too late.
"Good idea!" Tatanga pressed a few buttons. "Activating Supernova Destroyer Field!"
Just then, the Pagosu began to give off an intense orange glow; every engine in aboard it humming loudly.
"Warning," ROB cautioned. "Intense energy readings coming from enemy vessel."
Mario gave Luigi a deadpan glare. "You know this is your fault for saying something, right?"
"How was I supposed to know he had a supernova gadget?!" Luigi objected.
"I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm not too keen on being blasted apart by a supernova!" Daisy cried. "Do something, man!"
"We need to take that ship down, now!"
"How!?" Luigi demanded. "That thing had literal boulders rain down on it and it's still only kinda wrecked!"
"Professor, please tell me this thing has a weapon that can wreck that thing!" Daisy yelled.
"As a matter of fact, it just finished charging!" A ding sounded, E. Gadd giddily clapping his hands. "Oh goody! ROB, fire the Hyper Gaddstructor Beam!"
ROB flipped multiple switches, a cannon barrel emerging from the center of the propeller. "Hyper Gaddstructor Beam Cannon primed."
"EEEEExcellent!" E. Gadd grinned. "Beginning Gaddstruction in ten… nine… eight… seven… six… five…" He soon lost track of what he was counting. "Six… seven… fifteen… twenty-two… forty-three-"
"Oh for Pete's sake!" Mario nudged E. Gadd aside before slamming his fist down on the fire button. "Fire!"
The cannon fired a huge, intense beam of energy at the Pagosu, hitting it head-on.
"Ohhhhhhhhhh BLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARK!" Tatanga screamed as the Pagosu's thrusters exploded, sending him careening down into a nearby mountain.
"We did it!" Daisy cheered. "We got him!"
"Huzzah!" E. Gadd exclaimed.
Everyone celebrated, hugging and whooping… until they heard the distinct sound of technological whirring in the distance.
"Uh... guys?" Luigi piped up. "Do you hear that?"
"Hear what?" E. Gadd stuck a finger in his ear, spinning it around before popping it back out. At that moment, the mountain began loudly rumbling.
"Daisy..." Mario began nervously. "Is that mountain a volcano?"
Daisy gulped. "No..."
Something began to rise from the top of the mountain.
"Oh no," ROB said.
At that moment, something massive burst from the mountain, Tatanga's maniacal cackling resounding through the kingdom.
"Mamma mia..." Mario let out.
"Gaddzooks..." E. Gadd gasped.
"You gotta be kidding me..." Daisy groaned.
"It's enormous..." Peach managed.
Luigi pointed a shaking finger. "It's... it's…"
Looming up before them was a mech, bearing the same color scheme as the Pagosu, easily the same size as Peach's and Bowser's Castles.
"It's a giant robot!"
"That's right, Shroomers!" Tatanga declared. "Cower in fear before the majestic power of the ultimate Kaiuchuuan superweapon, Pagoschneider X! You should feel privileged. You will be the first ones on this puny planet to witness this trump card of mine! First you will see, then you will DIE!"
"...Meep," Luigi squeaked out.
"I... think we're gonna need a bigger plane," Mario remarked.
"No worries!" E. Gadd soothed. "No worries! The Hyper Gaddstructor Beam can destroy that thing easily! We just need to hold out until it recharges!"
"How long till it does?!" Luigi screamed.
Gadd checked the meter. "Five minutes."
"FIVE MINUTES?!" Daisy shrieked.
"Well, excuse me, Princess! Have you ever whipped up a wave motion cannon fueled by Power Stars in the low dozens?! Did you just expect me to pull the trigger and rapid fire?!"
"Less talking, more flying!" Mario pointed up. The Pagoschneider X had raised its hand and was about to swat the Sky Pop like a bug. ROB spun the wheel, the Sky Pop flying out of the way and narrowly avoiding it. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
"That was close," Luigi said.
"Just one problem," Daisy said. "HE HAS TWO HANDS!"
They looked to see that they were about to crash into the other outstretched hand.
"Go down!" E. Gadd screamed. "Go down!"
"No, up!" Mario cut in. "Up!"
Daisy grimaced, raising a hand. "C'mon... Flower Power... Flower Power!"
A magic circle appeared in front of the Pop just as the hand grabbed them.
"C'mon...! Flower Power! PLEASE!"
Suddenly, several floral-looking crystal spikes emerged, skewering the hand.
"YES!" Daisy cheered.
"NO!" Tatanga screamed.
"Daisy, since when did you-?" Peach began.
"Not important right now!"
"Got it." ROB tilted the wheel, escaping from the hand.
"Let's see how you like this!" Tatanga growled.
The mech's head began moving around, rapidly firing massive lasers from its eyes.
"Lasers!" Luigi cried. "He's got lasers!"
"I got it!" Daisy raised a hand, only to suddenly feel winded. "Uuuugh... I don't got it."
"Daisy!"
She fell out of the seat, Luigi and Peach running over to help.
"Ugh…" she groaned. "Feelin' a little woozy here…"
"Mom's offensive Heart Power… you've unlocked it!" Peach realized. "That's what's going on here. I always wound up drained at first using mine too."
"Course..." Daisy sighed.
"Uhhhh... everyone…" E. Gadd piped up. "The lasers!"
The Pagoschneider X aimed right at them, charging its laser eyes for an even bigger blast.
"It's Game Over!" Luigi screamed.
"We're DOOMED!" E. Gadd despaired. "For real this time! DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMED!"
"There's gotta be something we can do!" Mario insisted. "We can't go out like this!"
"Say goodnight, Daisy!" Tatanga grinned evilly. "Any last words?"
Daisy looked out the window, grinning at what she saw.
"Just... this… Now!"
"Eh?"
Suddenly, the Pagoschneider got hit with a massive fireball, causing it to misfire and miss the Sky Pop.
"Firing blasters!"
Gadd launched several blasts at the robot, damaging it a little and letting them escape.
"Who dares?!" Tatanga roared.
"General…did you forget about us?"
Tatanga looked to see Totahmet and the Shphinxes flying in for another round, Zamasu and the Dragobo army emerging from the sea.
"Shphinx! Fire away!"
"Dragobo! You know what to do!"
The Shphinxes all breathed fire at Tatanga's robot as Zamasu and Moscato's forces also fired on them. From the ground, the Moe-Eyes were tearing up chunks of rock and tossing it at them, the Arachnos helping by making huge slingshots from their webs. Tatanga growled before glaring at Daisy.
"Why do you continue to persist and fight me, Daisy?!" he screeched. "Even if you win and I fall here, it changes nothing! Countless Koopas were sent to their deaths by your neglect and indifference! Madame Hua ran rampant throughout her kingdom, cursing its inhabitants, and you allowed it! The world will know what a failure you are, and your victory, however improbable it is, won't change that!"
Daisy raised her head, glaring at him. "You just don't get it."
"And what, pray tell, don't I get?!"
"I'm not doing this to get into anyone's good graces after what I did. I'm doing it because it's the right thing to do. And when this is over, I'll at least have one good thing on my head: taking you down once and for all!"
A ding sounded.
"The Gaddstructor Beam is fully charged!" declared.
"Good," Daisy grinned. "Then FIRE!"
"Fire!" E. Gadd repeated.
"Firing," ROB reported.
The Sky Pop unleashed another Gaddstructor Beam, hitting the Pagoschneider X in the chest.
"Try all you like!" Tatanga gloated. "Pagoschneider X is unstoppable! You'll never break it!"
"We'll see about that!"
The beam continued firing, but it wasn't making enough of a dent.
"Come on!" Daisy shouted. "Why isn't it working!?"
"Bad news, Princess!" E. Gadd cried. "That last attack damaged the Gaddstructor's power matrix! It can't muster full power for the Beam!"
"No!" Daisy let out. "We're so close! If only we had more... power..." She thought for a minute. "Wait… that's it!"
She headed over to the console.
"Daisy, what are you doing?" Peach asked.
"I wanna try something." She placed a hand on the console, focusing with all her might. "C'mon... Flower Power, go!"
Daisy began channeling Flower Power into the Sky Pop, the beam turning orange-yellow and growing bigger and stronger.
"It's working!" E. Gadd exclaimed. "The Gaddstructor Beam's power just shot up tenfold!"
"But it's still barely making a dent!" Luigi said.
"C'mon, just a little more!" Daisy pleaded.
Peach rose to her feet, an expression of determination on her face as she strode beside Daisy, placing a hand over her sister's. They exchanged a look, smiling and nodding before focusing, channeling their powers into the Beam, which turns into an orange and pink spiraling death ray, drilling into Tatanga's mech.
"Such power...!" Tatanga managed. "But... it's not enough! You will never defeat...!"
"Oh! Just! Shut! Up!" Daisy snapped.
"Indeed!" Peach chimed in.
The Princesses raised their hands, letting out mighty yells before slamming their hands down. Orange daisies and pink hearts swirled around at the moment of impact. The pink-and-orange beam surged, growing in size before blasting a gaping hole through Tatanga's mech.
"WHAT?!" Tatanga roared as the Pagoschneider X began to spark and spasm violently.
"DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDE!" Keanu cried.
"That robot just got donuted, like a...donut!" Alex cheered.
"Righteous!" Trompal made a rock-and-roll sign with both hands.
"Brother, did that really just happen?" Moscato questioned.
Zamasu nodded. "Yes, Moscato… It did."
Totahmet grinned. "Well done, Princess..."
Tatanga panicked as alarms blared and lights flashed.
"Warning..." a computer voice said. "Pagoschneider X reactor core destroyed. Total meltdown imminent..."
"No! NOOO! This can't be happening! I've got to get out of here!"
Tatanga frantically fumbled about before finding the eject button, slamming his hand down on it. A pod erupted from the Pagoschneider X, which began to explode in places and fall apart.
"Explosion imminent," ROB reported. "Escaping blast radius."
The Sky Pop flew off, and everyone else scrambled away as the giant robot fell into the ocean and exploded.
"Oh yeah, we definitely got him that time," Mario remarked.
Luigi nodded once, uncertain. "Here's hoping!"
"Woo! In your face, Tatanga!" Daisy shouted before dropping to her knees. Peach quickly caught her before she hit the ground.
"I'll be alright... just a little lightheaded." She looked up at Peach, taking a deep breath. "Peach... I'm sorry... for everything. For all the arguments... for how I've treated you the past few years since Mom died… You were right about my way of doing things, and I was just too stupid and stubborn to listen… and look where it got me..."
"I'm sorry too," Peach told her. "I should've handled our disagreements better. We're sisters. We're supposed to build each other up, not tear each other down. You weren't entirely wrong, what you said. There are times to talk and negotiate... but there are also times to fight."
"I guess we both still have a lot to learn." Daisy chuckled before sighing. "Just one last thing to do…"
The Sky Pop landed outside of the Daoshi's temple. They looked up, seeing the sun rise, breaking through the perpetual bloody moonlight.
"What's going...?" Luigi managed.
"Hua's curse kept the Evernight going around Chai," E. Gadd deduced. "With her gone, the dark taint is leaving."
As they all enjoyed the sunrise, Daisy turned, seeing Bowser and MP with the former Bombshells. Seeing the former gently comforting them, a far cry from the vicious, pure evil demon king she had always envisioned, her face softened.
"It's so much easier to see the world in black and white. Gray?" She sighed. "I'm not sure what to do with gray."
"Those shades of grey are what make the world worth living in, Daisy," Peach told her. "It means that things can change. That people can change."
MP was the first to notice their return. She had Kerry in her lap, comforting the defused Bombshell. Daisy held up a finger in her direction before turning to Sebas.
"Sebas, effective immediately, I resign as mediator of the Council of Sarasaland," she said. "My last official act is appointing you as my successor, someone who will be the leader this region deserves."
Sebas blinked. "Princess, are you sure? I'm just a butler."
"Yeah, and a better leader than I could ever be. You did what I failed to do. You got Zamasu and Muscato to work things out, make a proper treaty. I believe in you, Sebas."
"I see... I shan't let you down, Princess. But... what about you?"
Daisy took a breath. "I have a promise to keep."
MP gently nudged Bowser, gaining the Koopa King's attention. He glanced at her, then turned toward Daisy. His gaze hardened as he stood up. Daisy approached him, a calm expression on her face.
"It's done," she reported. "Hua and Tatanga are dead, and Sarasaland is safe. A deal's a deal, Bowser." She held up her wrists in surrender. "I'm ready to pay for what I've done."
Bowser looked down at Daisy's hands in surprise. "I expected you to run, or try to claim you've paid your dues by fighting."
"No," Daisy shook her head. "I screwed up, and I need to answer for that. Beating Tatanga was just the first step, if even that. I've made a lot of bad choices, a lot of mistakes. It's high time I started taking responsibility and facing consequences. So... I surrender myself to your custody."
A moment passed before Bowser nodded. With a gesture of his claw, Wendy approached, snapping a pair of manacles over Daisy's wrists.
"Daisy…" Luigi let out.
"Don't worry Bro," MP soothed. "I'll keep an eye on her. I'll make sure Bowser doesn't try anything until the trial." She turned to Bowser, a serious expression on her face. "There will be a trial, right?"
"Yeah, there will be a trial," Bowser assured. "I'm not my old man. If I were, she'd be a pile of ash by now. But make no mistake…" He turned to Daisy. "It doesn't look good for you. And the second judgement is passed…" He leaned in close, fire almost bellowing from his mouth. "You're dead."
Daisy sweated a little, but held her ground. "Right..."
Bowser snorted, then turned away. "Get her out of my sight."
The Koopalings surrounded Daisy. She looked at Peach and the Bros.
"Thank you, all of you," she said gratefully. "I couldn't have saved this kingdom without you."
"We'll be there for the trial," Peach promised. "You'll have all of our support."
"Yeah…" Luigi did his best to keep a brave face. "What she said."
Daisy smiled before looking at the Koopalings. "Alright, guys. Let's get moving."
They led her to the Koopa Clown Car, herding her onto it. Peach's fists clenched as they watched it take off.
"Mario, Luigi, everyone..." she turned back to them, an expression of determination on her face. "We're heading back to the Mushroom Kingdom. We have a trial to prepare for."
Author's Note:
(1): Yes, this is a commentary on the so-called barrel roll used in Star Fox.
Well... the day is saved, but it's bittersweet. Tune in next time for the trial of Princess Daisy.
Please R&R. Until next time!