Other Fan Fiction ❯ Mario: It's all in the Hat ❯ The Harder They Hit ( Chapter 3 )

Chapter 3 - The Harder They Hit.

 

Now traveling by pipe may seem a bit odd to someone who wasn't raised in the Mushroom Kingdom, but rest assured, not only is it a perfectly normal and acceptable way to travel, but it's also safe and extremely fast. If you were to ask, even they don't remember how this method of travel came to be. Much like various other things that they don't understand, all they know is that it works, and as far as they know always has and always will. You leap into one end of a pipe and come out another pipe elsewhere in the world. Now not just any ole pipe will do now, it's gotta be a Warp Pipe. What makes a pipe a Warp Pipe, now if they had an answer to that then they'd understand how Warp Pipes worked now wouldn't they. It's rumored that Bowser has the makings of Warp Pipes figured out, but even that's up for speculation. The Koopa King not being one to share that kind of knowledge.

 

Coming out of the pipe, Mario looks around at the room he's in. Nothing special here, just your standard throne room meets holding cell. He came out in what could only be an entryway, a small room cut from the main chamber with just enough room to exit the pipe. The main chamber wasn't too much in itself either. A large circular stone room with King Koopa's immense throne opposite the entryway. The only other decoration was a cage beside the throne holding Princess Peach.

Pretty in Pink and never one to dress down, Peach is woman in a league all to herself. Not only is she the Princess to (Oddly enough) a kingdom of Toad, but she's also got a sense of adventure even Mario would be hard pressed to rival. While a good attribute in a self driven ruler, it also has the unwelcome side effect of putting her right out in the open where any would be abductor has all but no trouble snatching her up. The biggest culprit being King Koopa.

 

“Well Mario,” Bowser began , “Looks like you survived after all. Guess I'll just have to take care of you myself.” he finished with a savage grin. Not at all daunted Mario prepares to face off once again with the King of the Koopas. This was a fight he has fought too many times to count, and it always ends the same way. As Mario leaves the small entry nook, Bowser roars in a would be menacing way. Mario leaping forward, Bowser charging claws out and ready to do some damage they begin to fight. Anyone who has watched, teacher's to students, brothers to brothers, or maybe champion competitors sparring for the umpteenth time would instantly recognize the fight of long time rivals in combat. Almost more of a dance than a fight the blows were dealt and dodged with a precision unmatchable in a normal fight.

Mario leaps to place a kick he knows will never connect as Bowser falls to the side and swipes at a target he has no chance of catching. Landing and immediately leaping backwards Mario avoids a blast of Bowser's fiery breath, just issued in the chance at catching a unprepared target. On and on they fight, Mario leaping about like a crazed grasshopper, and Bowser lunging, slashing ,and sending flames at a target he'll never hit. And then it happens.

 

What exactly? It could have been slight misstep on Mario's part, perhaps Bowser followed a swipe with an unexpected blow, or maybe the princess distracted her savior with one of her shrieks of warning. Whatever the cause, the outcome was as sudden a snake's strike and as slow as the falling snow. This may not make sense to everyone, but if you've ever been caught so off guard that you don't really know what just happened till it's over, then you can relate.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl as Bowser's closed fist catches a totally unprepared Mario in the gut. King Koopa being of considerable strength Mario is sent flying across the circular chamber to crash into the wall knocking all the air from his lungs. Had it been an open handed slash, instead of the backhanded blow it was, the fight would have ended once and for all in Bowser's favor. However, while not enough to finish him off the strike was sufficient enough to knock his cap from his head.

Now it's funny how your mind works right after a head ringing blow like that. While there were many things that should have aggravated Mario, being hit by Bowser, getting thrown across the room, the thing that bothered him the most was that not only had his hat been knocked from his head, but in a stroke of twisted luck it happened to land on the brow of King Koopa. Never had he lost his hat like this in a fight with Bowser. And that was enough to truly anger the mustachioed plumber. Getting up, Mario charged the Koopa King, maybe if he came at him from the other side...