Chapter 7
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Mario had ignored the cold air and the snow crunching under his large feet and claws. He had been wandering around the winter wonderland for a long time performing various tasks. The cold sent a chill under his shell when he had first leapt through one of various enchanted paintings that led to various worlds and lands. Mario knew Bowser was behind it and he had a feeling the enchantment behind the paintings was thanks to Kamek.
Mario perked up when he heard a strange cheeping sound from behind a snow bank. This might be what he was looking for and he vaulted over the drift and landed next to a trembling blue creature that had tucked itself into a ball and covered it’s head with it’s flipper like wings.
“Tuxie,” Mario whispered to the chick. “Please don’t be afraid. My name is Mario and your mother sent me to find you.”
“Mama?” The penguin peeped and lowered its wings. It stared at Mario with large, dark moist eyes. “Mama?” Tiny tears had gathered around the corners of its eyes.
“You don’t really want to cry little guy,” Mario used a knuckle to wipe the tears away. “You don’t want them to freeze on your face, now do you?”
Tuxie just blinked. “Mama?”
“I’m going to take you to see your mama.” Mario held out a hand. His smile grew larger when the penguin placed his flipper in Mario’s. “Is it okay if I carry you?” He waited for Tuxie to nodd his head before he lifted the chick into his arms.
“Do you need a ride back?” The Lakitu with the camera said. This Lakitu had said he was not part of the military and resided in Sky Land. His name was Lukas and he was a documentary film maker and wanted to follow Mario around. He was the one who informed him of what had happened at the castle. He had witnessed the whole thing, but was unable to help and thought that either Maria or Pauline would have come to the rescue.
“He’s just a frightened kid,” Mario said as he began his trek back to the main nesting ground. “I can handle him.”
“If you need any help, I will be here,” Lukas said as he followed behind in his cloud. “This will be a nice heart warming scene, the reuniting of mother and child. I have been thinking of making a wild life documentary. I was hung up for a while on what, but I have decided on penguins. Do you think it will sell?”
“I’d watch it,” Mario said between humming for Tuxie. He could feel the softness of the outer coating of down and the warmth from the chick’s body heat. “Especially if it was in one of those large dome shape theaters.
Mario knew they were getting closer by the stench of fish guts and the penguin trills increasing. He saw several other blue penguins running about and sliding on their stomachs. Now all he had to do was seek out Tuxie’s mother.
She was standing on top of a small pile of snow near a small cave entrance. Her neck was craned and she shielded her eyes with her wing. “Mario,” she cried out when she had spotted them.
“Mama,” Tuxie flapped his wings and beat his tiny webbed feet against Mario’s chest. “I want my mamma.”
“Here you go,” Mario placed the young chick on the ground and watched as he ran up to his mother and she ran towards him.
“My little Tuxie,” Mama Penguin said as she lifted her son in her arms. “Never run off without me.”
“Sorry mama,” Tuxie wraped his wings around his mama to hug her.
“Thank you Mario,” Mama Penguin said and set her son down. “Wait right here. I have to put Tuxie in his nest.” Her wing grabbed onto Tuxie’s wing and she lead him down the opposite side of the snow.
“So beautiful,” Lukas said in a wistful tone.
“Yeah,” Mario felt warm all over.
“I’m back,” Mama Penguin said. “I have something for you. I cannot express how grateful I am that you have found my son.”
“No need ma’am,” Mario waved his hand around. “Your words are enough.”
“I insist,” the penguin raised her wings. “I have been informed from the others about your quest. I think this might help.” She turned around for a few seconds before she spun around with a Power star in her beak. She tossed it towards Mario.
Mario leapt up and caught it. “All right” Each star was a closer step in rescuing the princess.
-
“How long has Mario been gone?” Luigi said after he had taken a bite out of the crust of his last slice. He wasn’t sure if he could handle regular pizza again, not after eating pizza in Brooklyn. The slices were so slick from the grease and so large he had to fold them to keep everything from falling off. He could not describe the flavor. He held his tongue when Toad ordered the pizzas. The retainer was treating them to dinner and even regular pizza tastes even better when he didn’t have to pay for it.
Toad glanced at his watch. “About a couple of hours.” He belched and covered his mouth. “Excuse me.”
“Don’t sweat it,” Luigi said between taking bite out of the crust. “Pizza causes a lot of chemistry in the digestive track.”
“It does make me burp a lot,” Toad nodded.
“Better out the front and then the back?” Luigi winked.
“Men,” Maria grumbled and gave them a look. “Or should I say boys?”
“Are you trying to tell me that girls don’t fart?” Luigi asked. “Cause that’s a lie.”
“We have the same bodily functions as you guys,” Maria stood up. “We just don’t brag about it.” She collected their plates and carried them out to the sink. She squeezed a small dab of dish soap into a damp rag and gave the bottle a quick squeeze until several tiny bubbles shot up.
“We should clean up before we go,” Luigi grabbed one of the empty pizza boxes and unfolded the corners.
“Go?” Toad raised his brows. “Where are you going? You guys just got back.”
“I still live in Dark Land,” Luigi reminded him as he flattened the second box and then folded both boxes in half, and then in half again. “Maria is coming with us. She asked Kammy to change her into a Koopa for a week.”
“She’s going to be living there?” Toad cringed.
“Hey,” Luigi growled. “That is my home.”
“And for about a week it is going to be my home,” Maria scrubbed the last of the plates and ran it under the tap to rinse. “We should wait for him to return.” She placed the freshly cleaned plat in the drain along with the others.
“We don’t know when he is going to come back,” Luigi placed the folded up boxes into the garbage. “For all we know he may even spend the night.” He didn’t want to wait until the next day to see Wendy and he wasn’t going to leave without Maria. “He will come by and see what you look like.”
“I’ll stay here,” Toad placed his hands behind his head and leaned back into his seat. “I’ll let him know where you are.”
“All up to you, sis,” Luigi wasn’t going to thank Toad until Maria actually agrees.
“I admit I am a bit nervous,” she stared at her hands. “I guess the sooner I go through the transformation the less I have to worry about it.”
“It didn’t hurt for us,” He grabbed her hand. “We won’t distribute the gifts until after Mario has caught up.” He waited for her to grab back and to smile, before he smiled in return.
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Several thoughts ran through Maria’s mind as she undressed in Kammy’s room. Luigi was waiting outside in the hall and Kammy was in her sleeping chambers, waiting for Maria to get ready. Maria had wondered if she would feel anything. Luigi told her the transformation wasn’t going to hurt, but she wondered if it would tickle, or itch, or if she would feel numb all over. That wasn’t the least amount of her worries. She was afraid the spell would go wrong. What if she was transformed into something else. What if she became a bomb-omb, or a Bloober, or a Yoshi. Well she might not mind so much if she would become a Yoshi. What if the spell was a permanent once by accident? What if that ass, Kamek walks by her while she was in Koopa form and decided to make it permanent?
“Are you all right out there?” Kammy asked.
“Almost done,” Maria removed her undergarments and wrapped a blanket around herself. “Here goes nothing.” She turned to the door. “I’m ready.”
The door opened. “Don’t worry,” Kammy stepped outside. “It won’t take long. I have already thought of the right words.”
“Okay,” Maria inhaled. “Hit me.”
“Human Maria who’s spirit is like a storm, for a short while you will take on a Koopa form, a little longer than a week for who’s fame so great, shall stay this way for days of eight.” Kammy chanted and waved her wand before she aimed it at Maria. Light shot from the wand and struck Maria in the chest.
Maria closed her eyes when she was struck. Luigi was right, she didn’t feel any pain, she didn’t feel anything at all. She opened her eyes just as the light was fading, and her whole body was tingling. She also felt a little extra weight on her back, like she was wearing a backpack, there was a sensation on her back side, just like when she had gotten the leaves in the past that gave her the raccoon ears and tail. She stared down her chest. Her breast were still there, they were only a bit smaller and were covered in segmented carapace, but they were still there.
“It worked,” she breathed as she dropped the blanket. She stared at her hands. Her fingers were thicker, numbered in four instead of five and ended in long white sharp claws. Her arms were covered in yellow-orange scales, as were her legs. Her feet were larger and also ended in sharp claws. She felt her face and grabbed onto her new snout before she ran her claws through her hair to feel her horns and used her tongue to feel the sharpness of her fangs. “I’m a Koopa.”
“For eight days,” Kammy pointed to the nearest mirror. “Have a better look at yourself dear.”
Maria stared into the mirror. She looked like she did the last time she was turned into a Koopa. Her head and face was turned into the same shade of turquoise as her shell. She examined herself from different angles, even wiggled the end of her tail before she stuck out her long and pointed tongue.
“Do you need help with your shell?” Kammy asked. “I don’t know if you know how to get out of it.”
“Actually I don’t.”
“The Collar can detach with just enough force,” Kammy grabbed onto the shoulder where the top shell connected with the carapace and with a light pop she separated it. “Now you just pull your arms in and you can slide out through the top.”
“Okay,” Maria pulled her arms in. It felt like she was taking of a shirt, except she was sliding out through the top. She slid her shell down to her ankles and stepped out. Without a shell she was naked. Her chest and belly were the same color as her arms and legs and her back was the same color as her shell. Her chest now seemed to be the size she was used too, the only difference was that her breasts lacked nipples. Well she was a reptile, then again why would female reptiles need breasts? “Time to get back inside.” She stepped inside her shell and slid it back on, after she had slipped her arms through she snapped the collar closed. “Do I have to take off my shell every time I go to the bathroom?”
“No,” Kammy laughed. “You do have a holes in the bottom for that.”
“That’s a bit of a relief,” Maria stared at her reflection again. She held up her hands and curled down her claws and made a fierce face. She growled. It felt kind of weird hearing the sound come from her. She decided to try something else. She inhaled and roared. That sound made the mirror vibrate and caused her to jump back and nearly collide with Kammy. “Sorry.”
“Easy, child,” Kammy told her .”You have to make small steps.”
“Mom,” Luigi knocked on the door. “Maria, are you all right?”
“It’s okay ,dear,” Kammy said. “Maria was just practicing her roar.”
“That was Maria?” Luigi asked
“You should be proud. She has a fierce roar like you and your brother.”
“Of course we have fierce roars,” Maria said and puffed out her chest. “We are the Segali siblings.”
“Can I see her?” Luigi asked.
“You may,” Kammy opened the door.
“Wow,” Luigi’s eyes widened. He examined his sister from every angle possible. “I got to show you how to keep your shell polished.”
“Dude, you seen me like this before,” Maria closed her eyes and inhaled. It was a long time since she had last smelled that scent. It was a comforting scent of family. “I wonder what I should do first. Should I show myself off to Bowser and his family, or should I try out my new abilities.” She flicked her tail from side to side.
“It’s all up to you,” Luigi said.
“Maybe I should get myself fitted with some of those spiked bands,” Maria tapped the bands on Luigi’s wrists.
“Female Koopas don’t usually wear the spiked bands. They prefer pretty bracelets and necklaces.”
“She can do whatever she wants,” Kammy said.
“I think I will try both,” Maria stared at her wrists and imagined how they would look with the bands. “I get the spikes on my wrists and necklace for my neck.”
“Sounds good,” Luigi took her hand. “We can get the bands this way.” He pointed towards the direction of the hallway.
“I should also get my folks some souvenirs from Dark Land,” Maria said as she followed her brother down the hallway. “They do have gift shops here?”
“Of course. Wendy can show you were to shop.”
“Great,” so far so good. She hadn’t come across Bowser, just yet and she wanted to wait until she was banded before she posed for him. She couldn’t wait to see his reaction, and then what? Was he going to sweep her up into his arms? Would they nuzzle and kiss. Would he want to do even more, include ask her to be his Koopa Queen.
“What are you thinking about?” Luigi must have noticed how her eyes were glazed over and she was lost in thought.
“Just wondering what it would feel like to breath fire,” She inhaled deeply and exhaled, nothing but air came out. She tried again and managed to cough up some smoke.
“First thing,” Luigi held up a hand. “You don’t want to do it here. Secondly, you need to feel the heat and the fire develop. You feel it in here.” He rubbed his hand against his stomach.
“Right,” she chuckled. “I just have to work on it.”
“Luigi,” Wendy squealed and ran towards them from the opposite direction. The scent of her perfume invaded Maria’s nostrils. “You’re back.”
“I missed you,” Luigi embraced her. “I’ve been thinking about you since the entire trip.”
“I’m glad you are back,” Wendy kissed him on the lips before he gave her snout a small lick. “Larry has gotten over his depressed funk.”
“Good, what about the others?”
“Morton got himself a microphone headset for his computer, like the world needs to hear him blab. Roy has met a girl and they are on a date right now, and Ludwig has proposed to Dru.”
“That’s great,” Luigi smiled.
“Is she here?” Maria asked. It might be fun for her to bond with a few other female Koopas.
“Yes she is,” Wendy pulled away from Luigi. Her eyes widened when she saw who she was talking to. “Maria? You’re a Koopa again?”
“In the shell,” Maria laughed. “Just for about a week. Where are your brothers, and your father?”
“My brothers are around. I don’t know where daddy is. He said he was going for a walk with Kamek and several troops, probably scope out another land to try and add to the Dark Empire.”
“Why am I not surprised,” Maria rolled her eyes. If she told him she wasn’t interested in adding on new kingdoms would he stop conquering.
“Come with us Wendy, we are helping my sister accessorizing.”
“That does sound like fun,” Wendy said.
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Mario could not believe it. He had gone through all that trouble to find the right amount of power stars and in the end it was all for nothing? He had found Bowser and Peach, but Bowser seemed surprised and even surrendered. “Are you kidding me?”
“Why would I be kidding?” Bowser had his arms folded and tapped his large foot against the ground. “I should be asking you the same thing.”
“I invited him over to the castle,” Peach said. Once Mario had entered the room Bowser removed her from her cell and placed her on the ground. “I had no idea if Maria had returned with him.”
“She did, and she is at my house with Luigi,” Mario still couldn’t believe it. “Are you serious? You went through all of this to capture Peach and took over the castle and you don’t want to conquer her kingdom?”
“I never said I didn’t want to conquer her kingdom,” Bowser said.
“You told me I was bait for Maria,” Peach pointed at the Koopa king. You want to defeat her.”
“I don’t think that was the reason,” Mario said under breath.
“Why did you come rescue her?” Bowser asked again.
“I was invited to the castle,” Mario explained what felt like the hundredth time. “I was told about what you have done and I went to save her.”
“Why do you insist on rescuing her?” Bowser asked. “Are you in love with her?”
Mario felt his whole face heat up. “That’s complicated.”
“You are in love with her,” Bowser chuckled. “Oh this is rich. The famed Koopa general in love with the princess of the Mushroom Kingdom.”
“Why is that funny?” Peach asked. She grabbed Mario by the sides of his head and gave him a long soft kiss.
“Well I’ll be damned,” Bowser said.
“Or maybe you are in love yourself,” Peach said. “Are you in love with Maria?”
“I,” Bowser held up a claw and paused. His snout turned pink. “Why would I be in love with my greatest enemy?”
“I have no idea,” Mario wasn’t sure if he should tell him about where Maria was and their plans.
“Where is she, if she is not here rescuing the princess then where is she?”
“I told you she is at my house with Luigi and Toad, unless they have set for Dark Land by now.”
“Then what are we waiting for?” Bowser ran towards the door. “We got to get back to Dark Land.”
“Wait,” Peach shouted, but it was no use. Bowser had already left. “They might still be at Mario’s house.”
“We’ll call Toad and see if they are there,” Mario said. “But first I want to make sure everyone is okay.”
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