Chapter 3: Vacation Interrupted
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That football game was the thing that Mario had needed the most. He had forgotten about his troubles for a few minutes when he was rolling around on the muddy ground trying to catch a fumbled ball or when tackling one of the players on the opposing team. After a quick shower he was ready for duty again. He plopped on his hat and headed for Bowser’s castle.
On the way he thought about Ashley and why did he end their relationship. Was she exactly like the others? No, she did seem to be a bit giddy about him being a general but only weeks after they had started to date. The others were talking about his status right off the bat. It could have been normal behavior. Then why did he end it? Why was he trying to find an excuse to end it? He couldn’t have been doing it for Peach. He jumped back into the dating pool to forget her.
“Good afternoon General Mario,” two of the Monty Mole guards saluted him.
“Thank you gentlemen,” Mario nodded. Something had just entered his head. “You two are mammals. Would you ever find a reptile attractive?”
“Um,” one of the moles adjusted his sunglasses.
“Maybe in the long run,” the second one said.
“She had to be special,” the first one added. “She ahs to be intelligent, and kind, has a great sense of humor and the prettiest and most glossy shell.”
“Glossy shell?” the second one asked. “Mugsy, are you already going out with one?”
“Yeah,” Mugsy sighed. “She’s a Troopa back in Dark Land. I should send her something nice, there are a lot of pretty flowers around here.”
“There also seashells on the beach,” Mario added and some of the best chocolate ever to be found on Chocolate island.”
“Those sound like good gifts” Mugsy smiled. “When I’m off duty I’m going to find some of these gifts for her.”
“Keep me updated,” Mario smiled and entered the castle.
When he entered the throne room he could see that he came at a bad time. Bowser had scratched deep gouges into the arms of his throne. The tip of his tail was flicking back and forth and smoke was trailing out of his nostrils.
“King Bowser,” Mario bowed before him.
“You may rise,” Bowser snarled.
“May I ask what is troubling you sir?” Mario asked.
“This is what is troubling me,” Bowser pointed at the screen in front of him. “Let me rewind it. Iggy had brought more of his cameras with him.”
“Oh?” Mario turned to the screen. All that was being displayed was the sky over the beach at Yoshi’s island.
“Now watch.” Bowser pressed play.
A small dot appeared in the horizon and came closer, revealing itself to be a hot air balloon. Mario thought it was just someone who’s balloon had drifted off course until he saw who was in the basket. It was both Maria and Pauline, along with Princess Peach.
“It’s them,” Bowser growled.
“Yeah,” Mario couldn’t take his eyes off Peach. The wind was blowing through her blond hair. Her pert lips were pulled back into a smile and her beautiful blue eyes were wide with wonder.
“They must know that we are here.”
“Really?” Mario asked. “They look like they are enjoying a nice ride.”
“They have landed over an hour ago” Bowser pressed a different number on his remote and the screen changed to the beach. The basket had indeed landed and the three women were seated on a blanket with a hand held basket and were eating sandwiches.
“They look like they are having a picnic.”
“I can’t take any chances,” Bowser stood up.
“You want me to notify the troops?” Mario asked.
“I need to gather a group.” The Koopa king continued to glare at the screen. “We are going to capture them.”
“I have a feeling that they just came here to relax,” Mario studied the screen. The three women seemed to be oblivious to what they had done. “I think it might be better to just leave them alone this time.”
“Are you questioning my commands?” Bowser snarled.
“I’m just giving advice. They won’t know that we are here unless we try and capture them.”
“They won’t be able to fight us if they are in the cell,” Bowser said. “I’m going to gather some troops and we are going to capture them. You are going to stay here and watch my castle. That is an order.”
“Yes sir” Mario nodded. He had a bad feeling about this.
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Maria popped the last bite of her cupcake in her mouth and finished the last sip of lemonade from her can and stretched out on the blanket. “Stick a fork in me. I’m done.” There was no way she would be able to handle another bite of food
“Are you sure you have had enough?” Pauline asked. “You only had two courses.”
“I’ve had enough,” Maria rubbed her stomach.
“All three of us have nearly picked this basket clean,” Peach rubbed her mouth with a napkin.
“I’m just going to rest right here for a bit,” Maria placed her hands behind her head. “And then I’ll be ready to burn those calories and explore.” She stared at the sky. There were still no clouds, not even a single dot of white was to be found in the sky. “The weather still seems fine. I wonder what those dolphins were clamoring about earlier.
“They are still trying to get our attention” Pauline said. “I don’t like this.”
“Neither do I,” Peach stood up.
Maria sighed. They were going to have to find someway to understand what the dolphins were trying to say to them. “Okay.” She sat up. “We’ll speak with the dolphins and then-“
“A feather,” Pauline pointed up. A white feather tipped in red was floating towards them. A second feather followed behind. “I’m going to get one.” She leaped from the blanket and ran after one of the feathers.
“Does she collect them?” Peach asked.
Maria shook her head. “She believes that if she catches a floating feather then one of her wishes will come true.”
“I would never laugh at someone’s belief when it comes to wishes,” Peach said. “If she believes her wish will come true if she catches one of those feathers then I believe it will.”
“I already know what her wish is,” Maria said. “She wants to star in a Broadway play. She has the talent. She’s a skilled actress and an excellent singer.”
“What about you?”
“As for me. I want to go to this business school in Tampa Florida. My parents don’t want me to go, basically it is the distance and they are worried sick about me, even though we both live in Brooklyn. We already made a compromise. I will go to a small one in Brooklyn for two years and then transfer to Tampa.”
“The other feather” Peach gasped.
“Huh?” Maria looked up in time to see the second feather as it had landed on top of her hat. Smoke appeared around her and golden cape was fastened to her shoulders. “I don’t think I wished for this.”
“Hey Maria,” Pauline was also wearing a cape. “I think that was a power up.”
“I wonder what this does?” Maria stood up.
“I have read about those capes,” Peach said. “You can fly with them.”
“We can fly?” Pauline leaped into the air and landed without actually flying. “I think mine is broken.”
“Maybe it is more like the Raccoon tail,” Maria ran along the length of the beach and leaped. The strength of the wind and the cape kept her in the air. “This is great. Pauline you have got to join me.”
“I’m coming,” Pauline ran along the beach and leaped. “Whoa.”
“Steady as you go,” Maria cautioned as Pauline rose higher. “You have to watch yourself and the winds. Just keep things steady.”
“I am keeping it steady.”
“And whatever you do, don’t start singing the theme to Smallville.”
“I wouldn’t have thought about it until you mentioned it,” Pauline chuckled. “You know we should find another feather for Peach. She would love this.”
“Who wouldn’t love this?” Maria felt herself descend. “Lets find out what happened to the Yoshis and then get those feathers.” She held out her legs and moved her feet around, ready to land. Her toes brushed against the sand before she ran a few feet. “I still have my cape.”
“So do I,” Peach flicked her cape to the side.
“These are a lot like our old tails,” Maria turned back to their picnic site. Peach was no where to be found. “Princess?”
“Princess Peach?” Pauline called out.
“Princess Peach?” Maria shouted. “Where did she go?” She turned to the sea. The dolphins were even louder than before. “They saw what happened.”
“There has to be some clues,” Pauline ran up to the beach blanket. “Maria.” She pointed at the sand.
“What is it?” Maria joined her. She stared at what Pauline was pointing at. There were several tracks in the sand. The smallest shoes shaped tracks belonged to the princess. There was also several other shoe shaped tracks all of them were shaped the same and a large pair of footprints. They had three toes each, all ending in sharp claws.
“Who do we know that might have tracks like that?” Pauline asked.
Maria turned to the dolphins. “Did a huge turtle like creature with wild red hair kidnap the princess?”
The dolphins squealed at the same pitch and nodded.
“Did this same creature and his cronies try and take over this land?” Pauline asked. The dolphins nodded again. “I think that was what they saying when we arrived.”
“And we ignored them,” Maria sighed. “Sorry guys. I wish I knew how to speak dolphin.”
“We can apologize later,” Pauline pointed to where the tracks lead into the mainland.
“Here we go again.”
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Mario stared at the spiked bands in his hands. This was the third time he had removed them and in a few minutes it will be the third time he had put them back on again. His king was defiantly changing. Bowser was always ambitious. He had known that since forever when they were growing up and playing together. He also used to be intelligent with his plans. He always thought them through. Why was his friend and king not thinking rationally.
“Someone is going to get hurt,” Mario mumbled. He didn’t want to see his king receive any harm. He felt himself cringe when Maria jumped on his head until he collapsed the last time. He worried that Bowser was going to receive similar injuries again, or even worse. He also didn’t want the girls to get hurt, especially Peach. Then there was also that odd connection with Maria.
“We’re back,” Bowser entered the throne room with several Chucks and Magikoopas in tow. He had Princess Peach in his arms.
“Peach,” Mario gasped. She wasn’t hurt.
“Mario,” Peach stared at him with that pleading look in her eyes. The same look that had drilled into his heart and soul the last time they had met. She mouthed a help me to him.
“Yes Princess,” Bowser gloated. “I have one of my best generals with me, and he is going take you to your cell.”
“What about the others?” Mario asked. If Bowser came back with only the princess then did that mean he had killed the others. “What happened to them?”
“They were flying around in the sky,” Bowser said. “We’ll send the soldiers to go after them until them you can escort Peach to her cell.”
“Yes sir,” Mario bowed before him. “This way, princess.” He grabbed her by her bound wrists.
“You won’t be able to catch them,” Peach shouted as Mario lead her away. “They will stop you. They always do. They are stronger than you, but I bet you can’t stand that.”
“That is where you are wrong. There is nothing like the appeal of a woman who can kick my tail, and Maria did last time.” His gin grew wider and couple that with the gleam of lust in his eye made Mario want to punch him.
“Maybe you are the one who is bothered by that,” Mario said once they had entered the halls. “I bet it bothers you that those two are strong enough to best my men while you are a weak little princess.”
“How could you?” Peach tried to lunge out of his grasp. “After the last time. Why do you insist on staying with Bowser?”
“Why do you insist on staying in the Mushroom Kingdom?” If she was going to ask a stupid question, then so was he.
“Because its my home,” Peach answered.
“Exactly. Dark Land is my home. You have your friends and family at your castle. I have my friends and family at my castle. You don’t want to betray your family now do you?”
“No,” Peach shook her head. “But my father doesn’t do evil things. He doesn’t try and overthrow kings and have them turned into animals.”
“Those other kings were terrible rulers,” Mario unlocked one of the cell doors and opened it. “Scamander and Imajin were the only decent ones of that group and they were a thread away from declaring war on each other.”
“They created a peace treaty,” Peach said.
“Now they have.” Mario pushed her inside the cell. “Prince Hugo is a good kid, nice to know this council of yours and his people decided to make him regent, and King Wally is running things the way Ludwig was.” He removed Peach’s handcuffs. “What about the others?”
“Emporer Ed is getting therapy for his fears,” Peach said. “King Terrance has finally hired an advisor. King Ragnar is also treating his people much better.”
“Which you can thank us.”
“It still isn’t right.”
“Your idea of right has been working wrong.” Mario closed the door.
“You are going to leave the key aren’t you?” Peach had that look in her eyes again. “You are going to lock the door but leave the key so I can escape.”
“No,” Mario closed his eyes as he locked the door. “Not this time.” He placed the key on the ring and turned around.
“Is kidnapping me always right? What will that accomplish?”
“I have no idea.” Mario did not turn around once as he left the dungeon.
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Maria was angry with herself. How could she have been so careless? She should have looked up to see if there were more Koopa creatures on the platform above. Instead she had to be reckless and end up losing her cape. Now she was with out a power up.
“You did get a bunch of those monsters,” Pauline said as she jumped on another dinosaur creature.
“These lizards must be the Rex’s,” Maria said. She had no idea if they were attacking on their own, or if Bowser had employed them. “I’m going to find another power up.”
A sharp whistle was heard and a Troopa in a Football uniform was racing towards her.
“Watch out,” Pauline shouted.
“I see him,” Maria jumped on him and launched herself to a hillside. “He’s attacking us with football players. I wonder what’s next.”
Some of the dirt on the hillside was loose and popped out, followed by a furry creature, and by the size of its claws she can tell it was a mole.
“Oh crap,” Maria jumped back to keep from being attacked by it. Several more moles popped out in the same way. She jumped into the shrubs. She needed to find some kind of power up. She just hoped those moles haven’t followed her.
“There she is,” one of the moles squeaked. “Bowser wants all three of them.”
“I don’t think so,” Maria whispered. She continued to crawl through the bushes until her hands came across solid stone. “Great.” She rubbed her fingers against the surface. She wasn’t certain, but she could have sworn she felt a large question mark carved into it’s surface. No way that could be a question block.
Several twigs crunched behind her. The moles were getting closer. She had no choice and punched at the block with all her might. A white egg covered in green spots popped up.
“An egg?” Maria had no idea what kind of abilities she would receive from an egg.
The egg formed several cracks and a strange green creature hatched from the shell. “Who?” the creature yawned, “who released me from my prison?” It grew in size until it was a couple of feet taller than Maria. It was the oddest dinosaur she had seen. He had a white belly and jaw, reddish orange spines down the back of its head and neck. Its cheeks and nose were large and round and it appeared to have been wearing a saddle and a pair of shoes.
“There she is,” the moles have caught up.
“Crap,” Maria prepared herself to jump on them.
The dinosaur scowled at the moles and opened its mouth. A long pink tongue shot out and grabbed one of the moles and pulled it into the dinosaur’s mouth. After it had swallowed the mole it ate the other two in the same fashion.
“Wow,” Maria stared at it. She had never read about a dinosaur that could do that. “You are not going to eat me, are you?”
“No,” the dinosaur shook his head. “I just want to know why you freed me from my prison.”
“Because it was the right thing to do?” Maria raised her eyebrows.
“You shouldn’t have done that,” the dinosaur said.
“Why, you are not going to turn into a huge nasty beast and try to eat me, are you?”
“Of course not.”
“Then why shouldn’t I free you?”
“Because I killed two babies.”
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