Chapter 26:

-

“Looks like we are stopping here for the night,” Luigi had spotted the helicopter lowering itself for a landing. They made sure there was enough fuel an hour ago and were a little surprised they were able to find a place that would provide fuel for an aircraft.

“I love camping,” Yoshi was holding up. True he had been on several longer trips, but on those trips he hadn’t been weighed down with saddlebags, nor did Mario or Luigi wear a fully packed knapsack.

“The trees are full of fruit,” Luigi examined some of the nearby trees. He wasn’t sure what kind they were, but they looked like persimmons. The branches were drooping from their weight.

“I love fruit,” Yoshi licked his lips. “Especially fresh fruit.”

“There is plenty of that my friend,” Luigi gave the dinosaur a gentle pat on the back of his head.

They caught up with the others just as the whirling blades of Iggy’s helicopter had slowed down and Kammy had landed. Mario almost didn’t wait for their feet to touch before he slid off the broom and landed on his backside.

“Never, never slide of a broom,” Kammy instructed once her feet and touched the ground. “You can’t always be certain if the broom stick has been sanded down, and treated. I once had a student who had to be rushed to the medical wing of the castle because he slid off, and ended up with a splinter that was the length of a human thumb wedged into his spell bag.”

Luigi knew what she really meant by when she said spell bag and wanted to cross his own legs. He glanced at Yoshi who also shuddered out of sympathy for the student.

“If it is out of any condolences I did hurt my behind,” Mario was rubbing his backside.

“I’m surprised it hurt,” Luigi could never resist a chance to tease his brother about his height or his weight. “I thought you had enough padding down there.”

“Hey, I wouldn’t talk if I were you,” Mario poked him in the stomach and pulled back. “Did that get smaller?”

“Yeah,” Luigi hadn’t really noticed since his transformation back into a human. “I guess I lost a little weight from all that wrestling.”

“I’m going to lose a lot of weight if I don’t get any food,” Yoshi whimpered. “I can smell all the fruit and hear it drop on the ground, so much sweet and good food is going to a waste.”

“Don’t worry Yoshi,” Peach said as she and Daisy were removing one of the folded up tents. “Once we have camp set up we can have dinner.”

“How many tents did you bring?” Luigi ran over to help Iggy pull out another one.

“We brought three,” Iggy said. “How many did you bring?”

“I think we forgot,” Mario pulled out the third one. “Then again, Toadsworth told me Peach wasn’t coming. I should have known she was going to try and sneak out.”

“I hope no one told him where I was,” Daisy said after she and Peach had set the tent down. “He insists that I stay in the castle when I’m in the Mushroom Kingdom.”

“How come your father lets you go as you please?” Peach asked.

Daisy shrugged. “I have no idea.”

Luigi had a feeling he knew why. Aside from that one time with Tatanga, Daisy never gets kidnapped. and certainly not an almost monthly basis like Peach. He can’t even remember the last time Sarasaland was under any sort of attack.

“Just lay them all there,” Kammy said of the tents. “I will set them up.”

“With what?” Iggy asked. “A simple wave of your wand?”

Kammy gave him a look that caused the Koopa genius to gulp before she pointed her wand at the tents. She muttered a small chant. Glittering light shot out from the jewel like end of the wand. Stakes shot into the ground and were lassoed by the chords. The tents sprang up and remained there, nice and sturdy.

“The women should get the big one,” Mario said.

“Sounds fare,” Luigi nodded. “You and Yoshi can bunk in one and Iggy and I can sleep in the other.”

Mario nodded. “Now that we got the tents up, how about we find some dinner.”

“Yes,” Yoshi jumped up.

“Shouldn’t we check in with the others first?” Peach asked. Yoshi let out a sigh and sat back down. “I’m also hungry, but Toad and Toadette are probably worried.”

“Do you have a way to call?” Kammy removed the hand held mirror from her pocket.

“I have my phone,” Mario held up his bright red cell.

Kammy tapped the top of her mirror with the wand. “Wendy.” She whispered into the cool reflective surface and waited.

“Kammy?” Wendy’s voice could be heard coming from mirror. “Where are you two?”

“I am not certain,” Kammy answered. “We are some place north of Grass Land. We still have miles to go before we can reach Sugar Land.”

“Wendy,” Luigi leaned over Kammy’s shoulder. Wendy was as lovely as ever. He may have been human but she was still as beautiful to him as when he was a Koopa.

“Hello Luigi,” Wendy smiled when she saw him. “Have you been traveling well?”

“Very well,” Luigi nodded. “We are not alone. Your brother, Iggy is with us, and Daisy, Peach, Mario, and Yoshi.”

“I have a feeling you are not all going to try and take over another land,” she chuckled. “I never really heard of this Sugar Land before.”

“Some of it’s citizens have tried to contact Morton through his show,” Luigi said. “From what I could tell is they are building an army.”

“Who are they going to war with?”

“We have no idea,” Luigi shook his head.

“It sounds more like they are preparing to conquer a neighboring land.” Kammy pursed her beak. “I should inform Bowser of this.”

“We can’t jump the gun,” Luigi put his hand on hers. “Not just yet. Wendy, I need you to ask Morton to let you know if he gets anything else from Sugar Land.”

“I will,” Wendy nodded.

“Have you been eating well? Sleeping well?” Luigi asked.

“I did take a small nap.” She laughed. “It hasn’t even been a full day. You sound like you haven’t seen me for weeks.”

“I feel like we have,” Luigi was glad that Mario was still busy on the phone and couldn’t hear him. He was certain he would not ever hear the end of the teasing from his brother. “I just want to make certain that you and our egg are all right.”

“We are,” Wendy ran her fingers down her stomach. “It’s almost dinner time.”

“I will contact you in the morning,” Kammy said before she gave the mirror another tap.

“Bye Wendy,” Luigi said as Wendy’s image faded from view. “I love you.”

-

Several bumps and shakes roused Larry from his nap. He wasn’t even aware that he had fallen asleep. He opened his eyes to see they had driven off the road and were traveling through grass and shrubs and who knows what else.

“Earthquake?” Kamron sat up in the back seat. With Madam S in her pod and Silhouette riding with Squishy there was plenty of room for him to stretch out.

“Not an earthquake son,” Howls told him. “We are just taking a different route.”

“You want to take a different path?” Larry asked. He had no idea if they were near their destination. The last time he checked the sign had said fifty miles until they had reached Symphony City.

“We have to,” Howls frowned. “The God Damned military has set up roadblocks. No one is allowed in.”

“Isn’t that a good thing?” Kamron yawned.

“It could be and don’t get me wrong, I’m glad they have finally gotten off their butts to go and try to help kill these undead sons of a bitches. I just wished they didn’t get in other peoples way.”

“Huh?” Kamron asked.

“During they night they use every freaking bit of arsenal they own to search and destroy every one of them, during the day they are working to help every one who is still alive and not tainted to get the hell out.”

“What is wrong with that?” Larry watched as Squishy and Silhouette zipped in front of them.

“Nothing except they are trying to kick out the fighters, people like us. There are teams who have started to fight inside the city even before the military joined and those who have managed to get in before everything was barricaded off. The main problem is the military and the civilian fighters have been arguing so much they aren’t getting anything done.”

Larry took in the information. “And what is going to stop us from fighting with the military as well?”

“We will stick with the underground,” Howls frowned. “We will be like them, sleep during the day and attack at night.”

“I have a question,” Kamron said. “How do you know all this?”

Howls tapped the radio. “I’ve been listening to broadcasts while you slept. They informed me about the military and the stubborn fighters.”

They droved another large bump and Larry bit down on his tongue. “Is this good for Madam S?”

“Don’t worry, she can sleep through almost everything.”

“Where are we going?” Kamron asked. “Inside a super secret entrance?”

“It aint super,” Howls answered. “But it is a secret.”

The drove over the rocky terrain for several more minutes until they came up to a ravine with what seemed like a warp pipe sticking on the other side.

“We are going to warp our way into the city?” Kamron asked.

“Warp?” Howls raised his thick eyebrows. “What the heck are you two talking about?”

“I thought that is a warp pipe,” Larry pointed at the entrance. “And we are about to drive right into it.” He watched as Squishy and Silhouette rode right into the pipe.

“I don’t know what the hell that is, but this is an over sized sewage drain.”

“We are going to drive in the sewers?” Kamron asked.

“What’s wrong? I thought you teenage turtle kids like the sewers.”

Larry scowled at the remark and didn’t say anything. He wanted to see where this was going.

Everything inside was dark; the headlights of the truck picked up the motorcycle and followed after them as they drove the twisting and winding tunnels. Larry was amazed at the size of the sewers and wondered how long it had been there. He knows nothing about the entire nation of Harmony Land, only having to fight in Tempo Town and Half Note Bay.

They came to a stop where there were a few other vehicles, right by what appeared to have been the bottom half of a large building that had fell through the ground.

“What is that?” Larry stared at the building.

“You two are certainly not from around here,” Howls noted and chuckled. “This building was the first public library that was built in this city. There was an earthquake thirty years ago that caused it and a few other buildings to sink. The city did not have much choice but to build over it.”

“So this is the secret underground base,” Silhouette stared at it in wonder. “Why didn’t you guys come here sooner?”

“We heard you guys were heading this way,” Squishy explained. “The News reports were tracking your progress and we had a feeling you didn’t know how to get here.”

“This is a real piece of history,” Howls approached the double doors. He raised the cane and tapped the bottom against the bottom several times in a pattern. The door opened. “The password is Captain Lou.”

“Come in side,” a teenager in a gray hoodie and black jeans opened the door.

“What about Madam S?” Kamron asked.

“She will wake up when she is ready,” Howls said.

“I think he means if we are going to leave her,” Squishy said.

“Of course not,” Howls shook his head. “We are going to need several people to help transfer her and her pod, and we need to bring in the cooler.”

“I’m on it,” the teenager nodded. “Several hunting teams are out there, taking care of the problem, but there is plenty still here to help out.”

Larry stepped in and saw that it was a large, four floors with long stairs that lead to each floor. The walls were lined with books. The areas where there used to be windows were all boarded up. There were several desks, and small padded chairs and sofas.

“You are going to have to find a spot on the floor to sleep,” the teen said.

“Thanks,” Larry looked up at the light fixtures. “How do you keep this place lit up?”

“We have our ways,” the teen shrugged. “We have enough electricity for cooking and keeping the air circulated, and we can keep things nice and cool.”

Larry had found a place for him and his friends, next to the magazine racks on the second floor of the library. He had brought in the sleeping bags from the back of Howl’s truck and set them down while the others helped with Madam S and her pod.

“I know one thing for certain,” he stared at the shelves. “You will never run out of stuff to read here.”

He examined the magazines. Some were news and political based, some were health based, there were several based on sports and nature and style and entertainment. He tried not to laugh at the fashions from the past, although a few appeared to have been recent. There were even a few he had seen in Wendy’s room. He grabbed one and read the date. It was from three months ago.

“Some have bring in our own from the outside,” one of the fighters had sensed his confusion. “We consider it a bit of a donation.”

“That would explain it,” he set the magazine back and checked out several others and read the dates from each one.

“You might find a pleasant surprise in the back.”

Larry walked around to the back. There were more of the recent stuff in the back, more fashion, more movies, and women. Larry’s eyes widened when he saw they were naked women. “Hey Kamron come up here.”

“In a minute,” Kamron and Squishy were bringing in the cooler.

“There is porn up here,” Larry grinned. He’ll be able to look at all the naked women he wanted to without the fear of Kammy grabbing his horn, or Wendy calling him a sexist pig.

“The good kind?” Kamron asked, earning a chuckle from Squishy.

“Yeah, lots of naked women.”

“What kind of women?”

“Let me check,” he examined the different covers and pulled one out of a blond Koopa woman. “They got Koopas, humans, toads, Beanish, more cat women.” These cat women were not like Silhouette. They had pelts similar to Rusty. “I think I’m going to like crashing here for a bit.”

The magazine was ripped out of his hands. “We are all busy and you are looking at naked women?” Silhouette stared at the title.

“Yeah,” Larry shrugged.

Silhouette frowned. “Are they’re any with naked men?”

“I haven’t checked.”

“You two can check later,” Howls called up to them. “I suggest you kids and Squishy take a nap. I will wake you up in a few hours.”

“Well you heard him,” Silhouette rolled up her magazine and gave Larry a small bop on the head with it before she put it back. “We need to preserve our energy.” She found a spot on the floor and lay down.

Larry sat down on another sleeping bag. It wasn’t cold enough to crawl inside. He yawned and curled up, and hoped Howls would be a little generous before he wakes them.

-

Larry did not feel the end of Howls cane rouse him from sleep. Instead it was a cold hand that smelled like a mixture of talcum powder and lilacs. “Silhouette?” He mumbled.

“It isn’t Silhouette,” the voice belonged to Madam S. She had her veil pulled back.

“Oh,” Larry rolled onto his back and stared into her odd colored eyes. “Howls said he was going to wake us.”

“Howls is working on a battle strategy,” Madam S brushed her fingers against Kamron’s shoulders. “He asked me to wake you up.”

“I’m glad,” Larry yawned. “I figured he would smack us with his cane or kick us in the head.”

“He is rough around the edges,” she nodded before she shook Kamron’s shoulder even more. “He did see some of his own family murdered right before his own eyes.”

“Yeah but you are a lot nicer,” Larry said. Kamron blinked his eyes and slipped on his glasses. “And your whole family is dead.” Larry wished he hadn’t said it. “I’m sorry.”

“That is not exactly true,” Madam S moved onto Silhouette and gave the girl just one nudge before Silhouette yawned and stretched. “The only one I am certain is my husband and several friends. I have no idea about my children, my own parents, or my brothers and sister.”

“Then why did you say everyone?”

She looked down. “I was cut off from them. I had to in order to protect them. Because of the vampires I was never able to see them again.”

“Hey Squishy,” Silhouette massaged the large toad’s shoulder. “We have to wake up now.”

“What?” Squishy sat up. “Where is Howls?”

“About to start the meeting,” Larry rose to his feet. “That was what Madam S said and he knew they had to be there.”

It had only taken minutes before everyone woke up and gathered at the center of the first floor. Howls stood on one of the tables and struck at the surface with his cane. “All right, everyone shut your trap and listen.”

“Who put you in charge old man?” One of the other hunters asked.

“Someone needs to be in charge around here.” Howls raised his sunglasses and stared down at him.

“We’ve been listening to Avery,” the same kid said. “He have been leading us before you came.”

“Where is he?” Howls asked. “Cause they are not here to challenge me.”

‘Great,’ Larry placed a hand against his forehead. ‘He is going to start a fight and that is the last thing we need. Didn’t he complain earlier about everyone being to busy quarrelling with each other to get anything done? This is not going to help our cause.’

“They are out hunting.”

“Hunting,” Howls nearly spat. More likely they are going to get themselves exposed. You have been doing damn well on your own, but now you got the military, and it seems with the two of you combined you still can’t flush theses bastards out of city.”

“We don’t want to flush them,” a man in his mid thirties said. He had reddish brown hair slicked back on his head, and was dressed entirely in black, including the hooded cloak that seemed to float around him. “We want to destroy them.”

“That is Avery,” a toad girl said.

“So you are Avery,” Howls leaned against his cane. “I have seen you have made quite the progress.”

“Crap,” Larry turned to his friends. “Anyone want to calm him down?”

“I’ll try,” Squishy waved to grab Howls attention, with no luck.

“You seem to be quite bold to be making such statements,” Avery folded his arms.

“I probably know more about how these bastards function than you do,” Howls clenched his hands into fists. “Damn young people think they know a hell lot more than anyone else these days.”

“Howls stop,” Madam S struck her hand on the table. “You are making a fool out of yourself and everyone.”

Howls stared at her, then at Avery before he relaxed. “I am sorry.”

“Wow,” Larry gasped. “He does respect her.”

“I can understand if you are riled up,” Avery pressed his fingers against each other. “We are looking for more fighters, and you must have known about the knock and the password.”

“Yelling at each other isn’t going to do us any damn good,” Howls sat down on the table. “What do you know?”

“The military fights at night, mostly on the capitol building while we go around looking for the vampire’s headquarters,” Avery explained.

“Their headquarters isn’t in the capitol building?” Larry asked. It seemed like that would have been the most likely location for the enemy.

“Nope,” Avery shook his head. “It is not in the capitol, or in the tallest building or in any elaborate mansion. It isn’t where you would think it would be. There were several vampires, zombies, harpies and ghosts in those areas, but that is not where their leader is located.”

“Do you know where?” Howls asked.

“We just found out,” Avery smiled. “Their location is in the grand theater, and once all the teams have returned we will begin our assault on their tonight.”

“Shouldn’t we wait for the next night?” Kamron asked. “What if the others teams don’t return until near dawn.”

“He has a point,” The teen in the Hoodie said.

“I have one question,” Larry was wondering why everyone had to wait until after dark to fight. “Why not fight during the day? We know were they are, why not just go in?”

“No good,” Avery shook his head. “The military would have spotted us, rounded us up and kicked us out of the city.”

“Why don’t you tell them about the theater?” Kamron asked.

“They won’t listen to us, this is why we have to attack at night.”

“Why don’t we sneak in from below?” Larry asked. If Mario and Luigi could do it then so could he. “We take the sewers and climb in from the pipes. I know these two plumbers who do it all the time.”

Avery stared at him for several minutes. “The only problem is the spirits that may be patrolling the area for them.”

“That is where we come in,” Howls grinned. “We have a secret weapon that will get us past the ghosts.”

“So are we going to launch a surprise daytime attack?” Larry asked.

Avery nodded. “We will let the other teams know, until then we need to find the map of the city and the blueprints of the plumbing.”

-